Ms Siobhán McArdle:

I do not have the statistical data to hand but the Deputy is right that it is one of the causal factors of mental ill health in the Traveller community. Taking a mental health promotion approach, the Small Changes - Big Difference programme has been a positive initiative in the Traveller community and through the Traveller health units to try to address both building awareness of substance abuse and misuse, and the causative relationship to mental health and to more serious addiction issues. Through the national Traveller advisory forum, there was the development of culturally appropriate mental health materials to support positive mental health initiatives, which would include information on addiction and substance misuse. Over the past two to three years there has been a positive uptake through the project on that and building awareness of the relationship between those behaviours and the impact then on health. I ask Ms de Brun to provide more detail.