Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)

I thank the Minister of State for her attendance. I would like to use my time today to highlight the particular and very serious mental health challenges experienced by Traveller men. While the data on mental health outcomes for the Travelling community is in urgent need of updating, we know from the comprehensive All-Ireland Traveller Health Study of 2010 that, at that stage, Traveller men were at much higher risk of death by suicide than probably any other cohort of people in our society. The study showed that suicide accounted for a staggering 11% of all deaths in the Traveller community and 82% of Traveller suicides were among men. Suicide rates among Traveller men are estimated to be six to seven times higher than among settled men. We also know that 59% of Traveller men reported poor mental health in any given month, and that was within a context of persistent discrimination, educational disadvantage, poor housing or accommodation and high unemployment.

I have some experience as a psychologist working with young Traveller men in the Cork mental health services, and I found that experience very rewarding. It clarified to me that the services need to adapt much better to the Travelling community and, in some cases, adopt more of an assertive outreach approach that goes outside a standard therapeutic frame. I very much welcome the establishment of the specialist group for Traveller mental health under Sharing the Vision, and I commend the aims of the national Traveller health action plan.

It is important that the Government matches words with real implementation. We need ring-fenced investment in culturally appropriate, Traveller-led mental health services, designed in collaboration with the Traveller community; the recruitment of dedicated Traveller mental health workers into primary care and community mental health teams; and crucially, we need to update the national dataset on Traveller health in general with clear targets, timelines and accountability mechanisms. I echo Deputy Byrne's endorsement of the Samaritans and the really invaluable work that they do. I was a volunteer with the Samaritans for a number of years in my 20s and I found it to be one of the most formative and fulfilling experiences, particularly working with young offenders in St. Patrick's in Dublin.

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