Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 7 November 2023

Committee on Mental Health

Mental Health Care for Migrants and Ethnic Minorities: Discussion

Mr. Patrick Reilly:

I should have said at the start that at Pavee Point we have the Pavee Mothers programme. The word "pavee" in our language means "traveller". There is a website, similar to the young Pavees "Mind your Nuck". There is a text message service whereby the mothers get semester one and semester two reminders, supports, tips and advice. On our young Pavees website the LGBT issue came up for young Travellers as well, so we have a resource there on LGBT as well. There is a group, the National Action Group for LGBTI+ Traveller and Roma Rights, that promotes this work. Every year we take part in Pride. As was said about stigma, being a Traveller and being LGBT, there is a fear of being discriminated against. We hear the saying "All the Same" but that is far from the truth. Ms Coyle said in the statement that what might work for one community might not work for another. That is an example.