‘We can’t look at the other person we have to look at ourselves’

INTERGENERATIONAL racism and consistent discrimination is the primary root cause of suicide in the traveller community, according to a new report.

The Nature, Extent and Impact of Suicide Among the Traveller Community in South County Dublin and Ballyfermot is a recently launched report commissioned by three local groups.

Funded by the HSE Social Inclusion Unit, Ballyfermot Travellers Action Project, Clondalkin Travellers Development Group and Tallaght Travellers Community Development Project all came together for the joint report.

On the afternoon of Thursday, March 3, after being initially launched in Dáil Éireann, there was a launch of the special report a little bit closer to home for the three groups, in North Clondalkin Library.

It found that, in Ireland, the rate of suicide is seven times higher for traveller men and six times higher for traveller women than the general population.

Identifying racism and discrimination as a root cause, travellers shared their experiences of sending their children out into the world knowing how poorly they will be treated.

One parent, in the report, says “when I am getting my kids ready for school my heart sinks, they are too young to know what is coming but sure enough it will hit them at some stage”.

Concepta de Brun, Michelle Kearns, Lynnsey Kavanagh and Doreen Carpenter

“I am hardened to it; I know I will be treated badly in every place I go that day….I am used to it, but my heart breaks for them every day.”

Other experiences detail the “looks that pass between members of the settled community”, their “experience of being followed around shops” and the rudeness of some service providers when they realise that the person in front of them is a traveller.

The burden of responsibility lies with each individual, with everyone needing to take steps to respond to racism across the board.

Speaking at the launch, Shay L’Estrange from Ballyfermot Travellers Action Project said: “We can’t look at the other person we have to look at ourselves and our own organisations and see the impact of what we say and do is having.”

Boxer Winnie McDonagh (center) with Carla Jakes and Doreen Carpenter at the launch of the report

There are nine recommendations as a result of the report, with the first one focusing on the need to address racism whenever and wherever it happens.

Other recommendations focus on empowering the traveller community in respect of mental health and on improving mental health services.

Bernard Joyce, director of the Irish Traveller Movement, who launched the report, calls upon the authors of the report to take the lead on a cultural competency project.

This project would be rolled out to other statutory and voluntary groups in the communities.

A digital copy of the detailed report can be found on the Clondalkin Travellers Development Group HERE.

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