Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 15 October 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community

Traveller Mental Health: Discussion (Resumed)

Mr. John Meehan:

I have to accept that there is a challenge. We have to act on the data provided for us, but the real time information, as the Chairman described it so well, which has come through in recent sessions is also important. We must work on it. It is also important that we work collectively at local level. Our office has a national strategy, but it will only be implemented through the local area plans. There are good examples, on which I touched in my opening statement, of where we have worked positively at local level and provided funding. The funding for the National Office for Suicide Prevention has increased from €7 million in 2012 to €12 million. We are distributing it not only through national NGOs but also in local areas. It will help to inform the local area plans.