Suicide accounts for 11% of deaths in the traveller community, a Pavee Point spokesperson has said.
The death by suicide of a 12-year-old child has prompted calls for an emergency State response to the “pandemic of suicide” in the Traveller community.
As the distraught family from Dublin prepare to bury the child on Monday, Traveller advocacy group, Pavee Point, pleaded with the Taoiseach to intervene.
Spokesman Martin Collins commented: “Suicide accounts for 11% of deaths in our community.
"The rate of suicide is around seven times higher in the Traveller community than in the settled community,” he said.
Mr Collins said that there are more travellers in Irish prisons than there are in Irish universities, which he said speaks volumes.
He said the death of a child in such deeply tragic circumstances must prompt a reaction from the government.
Co- Director of Pavee Point, Martin Collins spoke with Clem Ryan about the problems facing travellers, on Monday morning's Kildare Today:
Helplines: Samaritans 01-116123; Pieta House 1800-247247; Teen-Line Ireland – 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 18), Childline – 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s) or SpunOut – text SPUNOUT to 50808.
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