Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler announces a new consultation process to inform the development of the Traveller Mental Health Action Plan
- Foilsithe: 17 Meitheamh 2026
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 17 Meitheamh 2026
Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler TD today announced a series of consultation sessions with the Traveller community which will be hosted by Traveller organisations, including Exchange House Ireland, Pavee Point, the Traveller Counselling Service and the National Traveller Mental Health Network, to inform the development of a new Traveller Mental Health Action Plan.
In addition, an online survey has been opened for anyone who is interested in contributing to the consultation. The consultation process – including consultation sessions and online survey – will be open between now and the end of July 2026.
The Traveller Mental Health Action Plan is co-developed by the Traveller Mental Health Specialist Group, which was formed by the Department of Health under the structures of the National Implementation and Monitoring Committee (NIMC) for Sharing the Vision, Ireland’s national mental health policy, at the request of Minister Butler, in January 2026. The Specialist Group aims to deliver the Action Plan by the end of the year.
The Specialist Group is chaired by Dr Fiona Keogh and membership is drawn from the NIMC, Government Departments, the Health Service Executive (HSE), Traveller organisations, and members of the Traveller community with lived and living experience of mental health difficulties. The Specialist Group is also supported by a Lived Experience Reference Group which is facilitated by Exchange House Ireland and the National Suicide Research Foundation (NSRF).
The consultation process will ensure that the lived and living experience of Travellers continues to play a central role in delivering a new Traveller Mental Health Action Plan.
Minister Butler said:
“Publishing the Traveller Mental Health Action Plan is a priority for me. I have listened to and engaged with Travellers from across the country and the message I heard was clear. We need a cross-government and culturally appropriate plan to address the disproportionate rate of suicide in the Traveller Community. The voices of Travellers must inform the plan to ensure it delivers meaningful change. I want to encourage members of the Traveller Community to take part in the consultation and have your voices heard.”
If you are a member of the Traveller community and would like to participate in a consultation session to help develop the Traveller Mental Health Action Plan, you can register your interest at the following link: Traveller Mental Health Action Plan Consultation Sessions – Fill in form.
If you would like to take part in an online survey, which is open to anyone, and to inform the development of the Traveller Mental Health Action Plan, you can do so at the following link: Traveller Mental Health Action Plan Online Survey.
In recent Budgets, Minister Butler has prioritised Traveller mental health and funded a number of dedicated initiatives, with combined additional funding of €780,000 over the past two years. The additional funding has been used to expand counselling service capacity and develop more culturally appropriate mental health supports with the Traveller community. As a result, the number of clients supported by the Traveller Counselling Service increased by 50% towards the end of 2025 compared with the previous year.
ENDS
Notes to the editor:
Sharing the Vision: A Mental Health Policy for Everyone promotes a population health approach that contains universal recommendations that benefit everyone in society. It also acknowledges that additional work is required to promote mental health and build resilience among specific priority groups who are at greater risk. Travellers are considered a “priority group” under Sharing the Vision. Several Recommendations have specific relevance for priority groups generally; however, there remains an opportunity for detail to be developed and expanded in respect of Travellers’ specific mental health needs.
Minister Butler’s announcement of the establishment of the Traveller Mental Health Specialist Group, in January 2026 can be viewed here.