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Tithe an Oireachtais AN COMHCHOISTE UM SHAINCHEISTEANNA RÍTHÁBHACHTACHA A THÉANN I GCION AR AN LUCHT SIÚIL SAMHAIN 2019 _______________________________ JOINT COMMITTEE ON KEY ISSUES AFFECTING THE TRAVELLER COMMUNITY Interim Report of the Joint Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community November 2019 Tithe an Oireachtais An Comhchoiste um Shaincheisteanna Ríthábhachtacha a théann i gcion ar an Lucht Siúil Samhain 2019 _______________________________ Joint Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community Interim Report of the Joint Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community November 2019 Table of Contents CHAIR’S FOREWORD ........................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 4 COMMITTEE OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................... 5 POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE ................................... 6 PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS TO DATE .................................................................................... 9 APPENDICES ...................................................................................................................... 12 CHAIR’S FOREWORD In May 2019, the Joint Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community was established with the aim of achieving cross-party consensus, based on human rights principles, on policy directions in respect of key issues affecting the Traveller community. This interim report outlines the Joint Committee’s proposed goals, work schedule and approach to its work. The Joint Committee agreed to carry out its work by inviting submissions and presentations from the Traveller community and others; examine current statutory and departmental responses, including policy, resources and law; researching and identifying models of good practice, nationally and internationally; and establishing parameters to gather relevant data and make recommendations, with a focus given to the views of the Traveller community. The Joint Committee has held a number of meetings to date with relevant stakeholders from the Traveller community, public sector bodies, various organisations and other individuals. The initial focus of the Joint Committee has been on the mental and physical health of Travellers and suicide levels in the Traveller community. What is clear from the outset is that there is a mental health crisis in the Traveller community, with a suicide rate that is six times higher than that of wider society in Ireland. It has also been reported that 82% of the Traveller community has been affected by suicide. The Minister of State with responsibility for mental health and older people, Mr. Jim Daly T.D., acknowledged that there is a mental health crisis within the Traveller community at a meeting of the Joint Committee on 15 October 2019 and he gave commitments to work with the Joint Committee to address this issue. Regarding the mental health and well-being of the Traveller community, the Joint Committee will be advocating for improved mental health services which are adequate to the scale of the crisis and include Traveller-led mental health services, which are funded, resourced and culturally appropriate. Traveller-led health initiatives, organisations and peer support workers build trust within the community and from this is a willingness to engage more public services. 111111 The mortality rate of Travellers is 3.5 times higher than the general population, with Traveller men on average dying 15.1 years before their settled counterparts. The difference between women from both ethnicities is 11.5 years. Shockingly, the infant mortality rate is almost 3.7 times higher than that of the settled population. There are data deficiencies on Traveller mental and physical health, and the 2010 All Ireland Traveller Health Study needs to be updated. Peer-led approaches to collecting data on minority and hard to reach groups should be examined. The Joint Committee recognises that deep health inequalities exist for Travellers who experience racism and discrimination by the health system when accessing health care and that these need to be addressed as a matter of priority. The area of mental health, suicide levels and physical health of the community is the first topic to be considered by the Joint Committee. The Joint Committee also intends to examine comparable inequalities that exist in education, employment and accommodation. While all factors within the social determinants of health are important, accommodation was highlighted as the key issue causing health inequalities for Travellers. Poor living conditions directly impact a person’s physical and mental health and general well-being. Travellers need to be central to the design and delivery of services to Travellers in strategies and initiatives addressing health and mental health inequalities. Members of the Traveller community who have appeared before the Joint Committee have spoken in depth about the discrimination and racism they face on a daily basis. Every Traveller who has contributed to the Joint Committee’s examination of the issue has explained that they have experienced discrimination when trying to access services, in areas such as health and education, and in general aspects of daily life such as grocery shopping. The Traveller community has informed the Joint Committee that it is willing to engage with and assist the development of policies and decisions that affect the community. The Joint Committee will endeavour to ensure that the Traveller community is given a forum to ensure Travellers’ opinions and 111112 experiences are heard and that these are given significant consideration when the Joint Committee drafts its recommendations at the conclusion of this process. The Joint Committee and Traveller community are in agreement that the time for action is now and political inaction is no longer acceptable. We, as a Joint Committee, would like to thank all of those who have made submissions and those who have appeared before the Joint Committee to assist with our deliberations. We are grateful for their engagement with the Joint Committee. On behalf of the Joint Committee I wish to formally request that this report be debated in the Dáil and the Seanad at the earliest possible opportunity. ___________________ Senator Colette Kelleher Chair Oireachtas Joint Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community 111113 INTRODUCTION The Joint Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community was established by Order of the Dáil on 30 May 2019 and by Order of the Seanad on 12 June 2019. Meetings to Date The first meeting of the Joint Committee took place on 25 June 2019 in private session. The Joint Committee’s 13 Members elected Senator Colette Kelleher to serve as Chair. The Joint Committee also elected Senator Lynn Ruane as Vice-Chair at the same meeting. The Joint Committee held a number of private meetings where it agreed the Work Programme for the duration of the Joint Committee’s existence. Members also attended a Traveller culture awareness workshop. The Traveller culture awareness workshop was provided by: • Ms Anne Burke, Co-Ordinator, Traveller Culture Awareness Training, and • Ms Breda O’Donoghue, Co-Ordinator, Traveller Culture Awareness Training The Joint Committee began its public consultations with stakeholders on 24 June 2019 by requesting submissions on the topic of mental health and suicide levels in the Traveller community. The Joint Committee continues to meet weekly and in accordance with its Work Programme. Interim Report The Orders establishing the Joint Committee require the Joint Committee to produce an interim report, which shall contain its proposed work schedule, within two months of its first public meeting. 111114 Final Report The Joint Committee is required to present a final report to both Houses of the Oireachtas by 25 February 2020, whereupon the Joint Committee shall stand dissolved. Work Schedule Regarding its work schedule, a consensus emerged that stakeholder sessions should be organised on a modular basis dictated by topic, which are outlined in the main body of this report. COMMITTEE OBJECTIVES The Joint Committee shall undertake to examine key issues affecting the Traveller community by: a) Inviting submissions and presentations from the Traveller community; b) Examining current statutory, non-statutory and departmental responses, including policy, resources and law; c) Researching and identify models of good practice nationally and internationally; d) Establishing parameters to gather relevant data; and e) Making recommendations, taking into account the views of the Traveller community. The Joint Committee shall aim for consensus, based on human rights principles, on policy directions in respect of the following key issues affecting the Traveller Community, as directed by the Establishment Order, under the following headings: a) physical health, mental health and suicide levels; b) school completion rates and educational attainment, particularly at second and third level, compared to the settled population; 111115 c) labour market participation, having regard to the unemployment rate of 80% among the Traveller community; and d) access to housing and accommodation, including Traveller-specific accommodation, in the context of the significantly higher homelessness rate among

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