Cork group welcomes launch of the first National Traveller Health Action Plan

The Director of Advocacy at the Cork-based Traveller Visibility Group has welcomed the launch of the first National Traveller Health Action Plan (NTHAP) 2022-2027. 

On Monday, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Frank Feighan, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O'Gorman, and the HSE launched the NTHAP which aims to improve the health experiences and health outcomes for Travellers. The Department of Health is providing additional ring-fenced funding of €1m in 2023 to support the implementation of the plan, with a further €300,000 specifically for mental health services.

Speaking to The Echo, Breda O’Donoghue, who attended the launch in Dublin, described the launch as “a momentous day for Travellers”.

“We have waited a long time and campaigned for years for a Traveller Health Action Plan," she said. "Traveller health statistics are the worst of any group in Ireland and our hope is this plan will finally address the inequalities that have led to these frightening statistics.

“We are extremely optimistic about this plan but we are also worried that like other plans we have seen which have only been left on a shelf. Our hope is that the goals are met as soon as possible and the health outcomes for Travellers improve significantly going forward." 

The plan contains 45 actions which include continued resourcing of Primary Health Care for Traveller Projects (PHCTPs) in line with key responsibilities for marginalised communities, consolidating the public health measures put in place to minimise the impact of Covid-19 and other communicable diseases on Travellers, and supporting and resourcing peer-led initiatives focused on Traveller men’s health to improve mental health and wellbeing.

“I strongly endorse this action plan," Minster Donnelly said. “In particular, I welcome the focus on the mental health needs of Travellers, which is in line with the prioritisation of Travellers in my Department’s mental health policies." 

The HSE will establish a steering group to monitor and report on the implementation of the plan at national and regional levels and Traveller Health Units will also develop a five-year implementation plan and publish an annual report.