Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)

At Cabinet level, it is co-ordinated by what is broadly called the social inclusion sub-committee. The officials group, which involves several Departments, works on the social inclusion agenda, including health.

Regarding Travellers specifically, I recently attended a similar launch in my constituency. In recent years, we have funded a number of primary care workers for the Traveller community, where they are having a significant impact on health issues. We do not have the results of the recent census to hand, but it will provide us with a considerable amount of information, not only on the health status of the Traveller community, but on relevant matters. I hope to have the report quickly.

Our involvement with the Departments of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has been concerned with the drug strategy. The HSE provides many services that are sometimes policy priorities for other Departments, including direct health services to homeless people. As the Deputy stated, the health needs of the most disadvantaged will not simply be dealt with by the health Ministry. Housing, sanitation, education and the child immunisation programme have important roles to play in health outcomes.

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