Labour’s Michael D Higgins has spoken out against the Government’s handling of health services for Travellers.
At the recent launch of a new report, Travellers’ Health Matters, the Galway West TD criticised the Government and said the situation of Travellers was a “crisis” and a “human rights issue”.
The launch was attended by various representatives of the Traveller community as well as politicians, journalists and civil servants. Chairing proceedings was journalist, broadcaster and policy analyst Sara Burke, who said that Travellers’ health is “perhaps the most extreme example of health inequality in Ireland”.
The report highlighted a sharp divide between people in the Carrowbrowne halting site – located close to a landfill in Galway’s suburbs – and the general population when it came to illness.
Anne Costello of the Galway Traveller Movement said the report findings show that incidences of diabetes were four times greater in Carrowbrowne than elsewhere in the country.
Dangerous roads also posed a safety issue for families at the site, and kidney problems and infections – arising from poor sanitary conditions – were found to be commonplace.
At a minimum, the report says, there should be provision of electricity with high-powered generators for all families using sites such as Carrowbrowne.
The report stressed the importance of access to hot running water and hygienic toilets as a priority for Travellers waiting for renovations to take place.
Martin Collins of Pavee Point praised the work of the report, but said better accommodation and services were needed as well as proper investment.
He added that there should be a “holistic” policy on Travellers and not just in the area of health. Despite good intentions, the Government’s policies are not working, he said, noting that resources and staff are not being provided.
Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Eamon O’Cuiv TD, who helped launch the report, acknowledged critics’ anger and said that every effort would be made to improve conditions for Travellers.
He said that the Government considers Travellers “fully part of the Irish communities”, but admitted the structure of Government funding had not been good and that the delivery of services needed to be improved.
