Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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460. To ask the Minister for Health the funding allocated, with the subsequent outturn, for the implementation of Traveller health policy for each of the years 2013 to date in 2016; the allocation for 2017; if he will provide a calculation of any level of underspend for each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36234/16]

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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461. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the national Traveller health advisory committee has not been convened since October 2012; the way Traveller health is being addressed directly within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36235/16]

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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462. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the independent review of Traveller health policy undertaken in 2012 has never been put into the public domain; his plans to publish it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36236/16]

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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463. To ask the Minister for Health the Traveller-specific actions that are being taken to address Traveller health inequalities in the HSE service plan in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36237/16]

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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464. To ask the Minister for Health the new funding that is being allocated to Traveller health developments in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36238/16]

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 460 to 464, inclusive, together.

Addressing traveller health inequalities continues to be an important policy priority for the Department of Health. The health needs of Travellers cannot be remedied or improved in isolation from addressing the societal, cultural, educational and environmental factors that combine to influence health as well as more obvious health related factors such as lifestyle issues and access and usage of health services. The Deputy will be aware that the Department of Justice and Equality is leading on the development of a new National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy. The Department of Health is represented on the Steering Group developing the Strategy. The Strategy, which is expected to run from 2016 to 2020, aims to provide a set of specific actions that need to be taken to improve the situation for Traveller and Roma communities in Ireland. It is envisaged that the Strategy will include agreed actions in relation to improving the health of travellers.

The Department commissioned an internal review of the role and functionality of the Traveller Health Advisory Committee (THAC) in 2013 in order to inform the Department's consideration of the appropriate national structures required to address traveller health. The review was presented to the Department in June 2013. This internal review was not published at the time as it formed part of the Department's deliberative process in considering the future role of the THAC. The review found that the transfer of the health budget to the HSE in 2006 resulted in significant changes to the functioning of the THAC and that the original purpose and focus of the Committee had changed. The THAC has not been convened since the review. The Traveller Health Advisory Forum, chaired by the HSE, continues to act as a national forum for discussion on issues around traveller health. In the circumstances, the Department intends to await the completion of the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy to inform consideration of the necessity for any additional national structures to address traveller health.

In the Department traveller health issues are firstly addressed in the context of Healthy Irelandwhich is the national framework for action to improve the health and well-being of the people of Ireland. Healthy Irelandtakes a whole-of-Government and whole-of-society approach to improving health and well-being and the quality of people’s lives and provides an overarching approach to addressing health inequalities among Travellers. The Healthy Ireland Council was established as a multi-stakeholder forum to support the implementation of Healthy Irelandacross sectors. The Council includes a representative from Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre. The Department's Social Inclusion Unit also works closely with the HSE and oversees the delivery of traveller specific health measures by the HSE.

The Deputy's questions regarding traveller health funding and the HSE Service Plan for 2017 have been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.