Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

229. To ask the Minister for Health on foot of the National Clinical Programme on Self Harm report, when he proposes to launch the National Traveller and Roma Mental Health Action Plan as agreed in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11829/23]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I note the findings of the recently published research report, which uses evidence from National Clinical Programme on Self-Harm.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Traveller Health Action Plan was launched in November 2022. The Department of Health and the HSE are committed to developing priorities, strategies and actions on Traveller mental health within the framework of the national Traveller Health Action Plan. These will respond to the crisis in Traveller mental health and address the social determinants of Traveller mental health through targeted and mainstreaming measures.

As a first step, the Traveller Health Action Plan contains six actions on Traveller mental health. These will be delivered through the HSE national service plan for 2023, supported by an additional ring-fenced budget of €300,000. The actions reflect the priority status of Travellers in the Government mental health policies - Sharing the Visionand Connecting for Life,and will be reported upon as part of the Sharing the Vision Implementation Plan 2022 - 2024. Progress will also be monitored under the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy.

The Department and the HSE will also engage with the Traveller mental health network to develop and expand the actions as part of a mental health priority plan, within the framework of the Traveller health action plan. The newly established HSE steering group on Traveller mental health will consult with the Traveller mental health network on this task. Traveller representatives have been invited to be part of the group.

I welcome the increased focus in the area of Traveller mental health and I look forward to the progression of this workstream.