Call for dedicated Traveller helpline to tackle mental health crisis

Thomas McCann outside Leinster House to mark International Human Rights Day in 2021. Mr McCann has said the development of an all-Ireland Traveller mental health strategy 'hasn’t happened'. Picture: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

A dedicated out-of-hours helpline is needed to deal with a mental health crisis faced by the Irish Traveller community, the authors of a new study have said.

The report by the Exchange House Ireland National Travellers Service, which was launched on Monday, found that up to 80% of the community has been affected by suicide.