Written answers
Tuesday, 1 July 2025
Department of Health
Traveller Community
Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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824. To ask the Minister for Health the funding allocated to the National Traveller Health Action Plan in 2024; the mechanisms in place to ensure that this funding reaches Traveller-led and community-based organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35981/25]
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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The Dept and the HSE published the national Traveller health action plan (NTHAP) in 2022. It states that Travellers have the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health as is the norm in Irish society. To achieve health equity, the Dept and the HSE have produced a comprehensive public health response that provides tailored and affirmative measures to prevent disease, promote health and prolong life for this population group, and are delivered in partnership with Travellers.
The HSE has a ring-fenced budget of over €10 million for the provision of Traveller-specific health services, the majority of which is used to fund Traveller Primary Healthcare Projects. This is in addition to the funding provided for general healthcare services that are availed of by the Traveller community, eg GMS, public health, acute hospitals, mental health and community care. Additional resources have also been provided for drug services, including services that target Travellers affected by problematic drug and alcohol use.
In 2023, the Dept allocated an additional €1.3 million to the HSE to commence the implementation of the NTHAP, with €300k of this being allocated for Traveller mental health. The Department has announced two additional funding calls on Traveller health, to support the implementation of the NTHAP:
• €500,000 to improve healthcare services and address the social determinants of health for Traveller women who experience homelessness, under the Women's Health Action Plan.
• €710,000 to address the social determinants Traveller health, in conjunction with the Healthy Communities Programme.
In addition, the Dept has allocated significant additional resources for Traveller mental health, including expansion of the Traveller Counselling Service, enhancement of NCP for Self-Harm and Suicide Related Ideation, with culturally sensitive supports for Travellers, and enhancement of the Suicide Bereavement Liaison Service with culturally appropriate supports for Travellers.
In Budget 2025, €500k was allocated for a programme focused on the health of Traveller children, in conjunction with National Healthy Childhood Framework. Recurring funding of €250,000 is being allocated to two Health Service Executive (HSE) Health Regions; HSE Dublin and South East and HSE West and North West. Both regions will be supported to deliver Brighter Beginnings. This initiative is designed to address Traveller child health inequalities by supporting Traveller families to engage with the services offered through the HSE National Healthy Childhood Programme. The initiative will be delivered in partnership with Traveller organisations.
The HSE national service plan contains the following actions with regard to the NTHAP
- Conduct a mid-term review of the plan’s implementation and evaluate the impact of the Primary Healthcare for Traveller projects to inform future developments and implement the Traveller healthy childhood initiatives.
- Strengthen culturally appropriate mental health services and supports for Travellers, through the further expansion of the National Traveller Counselling Service, and the provision of additional Traveller focused suicide prevention and self-harm supports
I am fully committed to providing the leadership and resources for evidence-informed measures to implement the NTHAP, in conjunction with the HSE and Traveller organisations.
Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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825. To ask the Minister for Health the current staffing levels within Traveller primary healthcare projects across each health region; and whether any additional staff or resources have been allocated since the publication of the national Traveller health action plan. [35982/25]
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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The National Traveller Health Action Plan was developed by the HSE and published in 2022. Following this, the National Traveller Health Implementation Group was established by the HSE in 2023, it is also chaired by the HSE, this group is tasked with monitoring the delivery of the actions in the Plan and developing performance monitoring frameworks in line with existing HSE systems.
The HSE has committed to begin a mid-term review of implementation of NTHAP in line with commitments outlined in the plan. This process will include engagement with relevant stakeholders in the delivery of the national plan and regional/local implementation plans. This will provide an opportunity to take stock of the learning to date, identify what is working well and make recommendation to support implementation of the plan for the remaining period. It is expected that the review will begin in Quarter two of 2025 and be completed by the end of Q3.
To date, the Dept of Health has allocated over €4m to implement initiatives under the NTHAP, I have referred this answer to the HSE to provide more detail on staffing levels under this plan.
Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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826. To ask the Minister for Health the specific mental health supports provided under the national Traveller health action plan, including the recruitment of mental health professionals from the Traveller community, and how outcomes are being measured. [35983/25]
Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Mental health-specific actions under the National Traveller Mental Health Action Plan and other related strategies are now coordinated under a new Traveller Mental Health Implementation Plan, overseen by the HSE-chaired National Traveller Mental Health Working Group.
Members of the group are representatives from the HSE Mental Health Operations, Traveller representative groups, a lived experience representative, the Department of Health, the National Office for Suicide Prevention, and Local Authority Mental Health Co-ordinators for Travellers.
The Group meets quarterly, in locations which allow for the Group to visit and engage with local groups working on the ground (including with HSE teams supporting Mental Health service delivery to the Traveller and/or Roma Communities in regions, with representative groups, etc.).
As part of their work the Department of Health requested that the group develop a structure to report on Traveller related mental health actions across a number of existing health and mental health strategies and plans to report on any change or impact on the Traveller community. The report is currently in development and will be reviewed by the Department following its completion later this year.
As of May 2025, the following update was provided by the HSE in relation to Budget 2025 funding for traveller mental health:
- Expansion of National Traveller Counselling Service - In January 2025 there was a 33% increase in counselling sessions offered compared with the same period in 2024, and in February, an increase of 13.5% compared with the same month in 2024. Project have moved to new premises to enable more in person counselling. New counsellor identified to provide youth counselling
- Enhance NCP for Self-Harm and Suicide Related Ideation, with culturally sensitive supports for Travellers - Primary notifications numbers issued for two SCAN nurses for Portiuncula University Hospital, Ballinasloe based on evidence of Traveller presentations. Self-Harm programme liaising with leads to progress.
- Enhancing Suicide Bereavement Liaison Service with culturally appropriate supports for Travellers - Consultation with existing NGO partners to determine how this could be best integrated within the existing Suicide Bereavement Liaison service offering. Proposal expected March 2025.
- Research project on the mental health needs of the Roma community in Ireland (Once-off) - Working group set up to review Tender in advance of submission to e-tender process.
Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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827. To ask the Minister for Health which specific parts of the national Traveller health action plan have not been implemented yet; and when those elements will commence. [35984/25]
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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The National Traveller Health Action Plan was developed by the HSE and published in 2022. Following this, the National Traveller Health Implementation Group was established by the HSE in 2023, it is also chaired by the HSE, this group is tasked with monitoring the delivery of the actions in the Plan and developing performance monitoring frameworks in line with existing HSE systems.
The HSE has committed to begin a mid-term review of implementation of NTHAP in line with commitments outlined in the plan. This process will include engagement with relevant stakeholders in the delivery of the national plan and regional/local implementation plans. This will provide an opportunity to take stock of the learning to date, identify what is working well and make recommendation to support implementation of the plan for the remaining period. It is expected that the review will begin in Quarter two of 2025 and be completed by the end of Q3.
I also have referred this answer to the HSE to provide more detail on the monitoring of progress under the plan.
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