Mr. Patrick Reilly:

It is a very good question. If you ask service providers what services are available, they really have to think about it. I am concerned about anyone coming from abroad, as Ms Marchelewska described, to Ireland and accessing mental health supports and services because in our community in particular, access to these services is a barrier. We identify people at risk and signpost them, but without the ethnic identifier, we cannot see where they go, what treatment they get or the outcomes. What tends to happen is that these people come to organisations for support, but it cannot be just left to the organisations. I am an expert when it comes to being a Traveller; I know and have access to my community. I am not a mental health expert. I cannot refer people. You need a referral to get into these services. We saw issues even with accessing GPs before and during Covid, and this is still happening. There is a broad issue regarding access. We identify the people, but it is about getting access. Many organisations are seen as expert when it comes to Travellers or a particular group, but we need a whole approach in which services have the expertise medically. I am concerned about people coming in and looking for supports. We talk about waiting lists. That applies to everyone. Unfortunately, Travellers go to accident and emergency departments, wait for 14 or 15 hours and get an outpatient referral for five or six months' time. That is not humane. It is the reality in which we are living, unfortunately.