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Oireachtas Committee focuses on health status of Traveller community

21 Oct 2019, 15:29

The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Key Issues Affecting the Traveller Community will focus on the health of Travellers, tomorrow, Tuesday 22 October at a meeting in Leinster House, Committee Room 1 at 11am.

Representatives from Pavee Point, National Traveller Women’s Forum, Minceir Whiden, Kilmallock Traveller Women’s Group, Traveller Primary Health Care Project and the Department of Health will attend the meeting of TDs and Senators.

Speaking before the meeting Chair of the Joint Committee, Senator Collette Kelleher said: “The Committee has completed its hearings on mental health in the Traveller community. We now welcome witnesses to help us explore Traveller health and help us identify policies and services needed to address existing health inequalities.

“For example, Traveller women live on average 11.5 years less than women in the general population and Traveller men on average 15 years less, according to the All-Ireland Health Study. The same study showed death from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases increased in Travellers compared to the general population. And the infant mortality rate for Traveller children is 3.6 times the rate for the general population.”

Committee proceedings can be viewed live here.

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