David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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200. To ask the Minister for Health the most recent statistics on mental health outcomes among the Travelling community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64618/25]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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To the extent that this relates to services, I have referred this question to the HSE for direct response.

The Traveller Community are recognised as a priority group in national mental health strategies such as Sharing the Vision and the National Suicide and self-harm Prevention Strategy - Connecting for Life. Travellers experience disproportionately high levels of mental health difficulties and suicide rates. The population health approach that this policy advocates contains universal recommendations that benefit everyone in society but also acknowledges that additional work is required to promote positive mental health and build resilience among specific priority groups deemed to be ‘at risk’.

To address the area of Traveller mental health and the adverse mental health outcomes experienced by members of the Traveller community, the National Implementation and Monitoring Committee (NIMC) for Sharing the Vision is in the process of establishing a Traveller Mental Health Specialist Group. A proposal has been developed and is in the process of being advanced, with the significant input of the HSE-chaired National Traveller and Roma Mental Health Working Group and representative Traveller mental health organisations. Proposed Membership will be presented to NIMC for approval at its next meeting on the 20th of November.

The proposed lifespan of the Specialist Group will be 12 months, from end-2025 to end-2026. The Specialist Group will be requested to produce a “Traveller Mental Health Action Plan” for enhancing and optimising mental health supports for Travellers, considering the needs and circumstances of the Traveller community, principally aligned with Sharing the Vision and considering interdependent and associated policies and strategies.

The Group will feature representation from the Traveller community, including lived experience representatives and those involved in providing services in the community

We know that the Traveller suicide rate is 6 times higher when compared to the general population and accounts for approximately 11% of all Traveller deaths. Permanent improvements to suicide prevention for Travellers specifically have been implemented under Connecting for Life, Irelands National Suicide Prevention strategy. There has been significant engagement with Travellers and Traveller representative organisations as part of the public consultation on the new successor suicide reduction strategy, which is currently being progressed.