Minister Butler announces Establishment of Traveller Mental Health Specialist Group under Sharing the Vision – A Mental Health Policy for Everyone
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From: Department of Health
- Published on: 14 August 2025
- Last updated on: 14 August 2025
The Minister for Mental Health and Government Chief Whip Mary Butler is today announcing the establishment of a Specialist Group for Traveller Mental Health under Ireland’s national mental health policy Sharing the Vision – A Mental Health Policy for Everyone (2020-2030). The National Implementation and Monitoring Committee (NIMC) for the policy is expected to formally establish the Group in the autumn.
The Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE) are progressing preparations for the establishment of the Group, including detailed consultation with representatives from the Traveller Community and organisations working in mental health. The Specialist Group will draw on expertise from many sectors to improve policies, meet the complex needs of the Traveller community, and ensure equity, inclusion, and cultural understanding are central to all mental health services.
Minister Butler said:
“The mental health needs of the Traveller community remain of significant concern, with persistent disparities in mental health outcomes, access to services, and culturally appropriate supports. These challenges have been well-documented in national and community-based research, and they underscore the urgent need for targeted, informed, and sustained action.
“I have overseen increases in funding for Traveller mental health in successive Budgets as the Minister for Mental Health, and now I wish to see Traveller mental health fully embedded in the policy delivery structures of Sharing the Vision, through the work of a dedicated Specialist Group.”
The work of the Specialist Group will complement the ongoing work of the HSE-chaired National Traveller and Roma Mental Health Working Group, which oversees the delivery of a large number of Traveller and Roma mental health commitments. This is in alignment with the HSE Traveller Health Action Plan and the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy, with a particular focus on enhancing the policy delivery structures and processes of Sharing the Vision, under which Travellers are considered a priority group.
The Specialist Group will report directly to the NIMC and be tasked with delivering a Traveller Mental Health Action Plan, aligned with Sharing the Vision, in 2026.