Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy O'Callaghan for raising this serious and worrying situation. I met Traveller representative organisations last year. I met the Traveller disability group in Cork and the national organisation. Suffice it to say it is very worrying. Without question there has been an increase in suicides among the Traveller community and particularly among young people. We have to examine this in depth. It relates to a range of issues. Above all, where Traveller groups participate in education there has to be follow-through in work. In our approaches we have to change the attitude to the issue across society. What I find deeply worrying is that many young people in the Traveller community say to their parents they have done their leaving certificate but they are finding it very difficult to get work. This is clearly because of attitudes and approaches.

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