Health services discriminate against Travellers - studies

Members of the Travelling community continue to suffer widespread discrimination within the Irish health services, according to three studies published today by the Pavee Point Centre.

The research, carried in the eastern region, found that Travellers continued to have problems accessing GP and hospital services and that there were no proper mechanisms in place to improve living conditions on halting sites.

Speaking about the studies, Ronnie Fay of Pavee Point said the Traveller Health Units set up within the health boards have a key role to play in identifying Traveller health needs and improving services for them.

"A concern we would have is that, in the reform of the health services, that expertise and relationships that are built could be lost," he said.

"We would say to the Government [that] it's very important in the reform process that they don't forget about Travellers' health."