Press Release: Monday 21 April 2025
Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy announces the HSE Health Regions selected for the €500,000 Traveller healthy childhood initiative
The Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD has today announced the two health regions selected to deliver Brighter Beginnings, the HSE Traveller healthy childhood initiative. The new initiative supports the National Traveller Health Action Plan.
Recurring funding of €250,000 is being allocated to two Health Service Executive (HSE) Health Regions; HSE Dublin and South East and HSE West and North West. Both regions will be supported to deliver Brighter Beginnings. This initiative is designed to address Traveller child health inequalities by supporting Traveller families to engage with the services offered through the HSE National Healthy Childhood Programme.
Minister Murnane O’Connor said:
“The foundations for a healthy life are laid from before birth. Sometimes, Traveller children miss out on the routine maternity and childhood interventions that protect them in childhood. Vaccines, newborn screenings, developmental checks: these are all services that many of us take for granted, but which still remain out of reach for some groups, sometimes with devastating consequences.
“If we are to improve overall population health, we must work to break down the barriers that still exist for marginalised groups when accessing healthcare. Brighter Beginnings aims to achieve this, by offering culturally appropriate solutions that will support Traveller parents to engage with services for the benefit of their children. Critically, the initiative will be delivered in partnership with Traveller organisations.
“I’m delighted to announce that projects across HSE Dublin and South East and HSE West and North West will receive €250,000 per annum in recurring funding. This new funding also demonstrates my commitment to implement the National Traveller Health Action Plan.
“There is an opportunity here to give Traveller children a healthier start to life and to minimise health inequalities in adulthood.”
HSE West and North West Regional Executive Officer Tony Canavan said:
“I am delighted to welcome funding for the Brighter Beginnings initiative across Galway, Mayo and Roscommon which will help to identify and address the specific health needs of Traveller communities in our region. “We will be working in close partnership with Community Health Workers who are championing better health outcomes within their own communities so that we can provide targeted supports for Traveller children and their families.
“This funding will allow us to focus on specific programmes in areas such as maternal and infant mental health and it will support broader public health initiatives that aim to ensure that Traveller children have the best possible start in life.”
HSE Dublin and South East Regional Executive Officer Martina Queally said:
“I welcome the announcement of the Traveller Brighter Beginnings Pilot Project for Traveller Children, an initiative developed in partnership with the National Traveller Health Implementation Group, the National Healthy Childhood Programme and the Department of Health. This initiative endeavours to support the implementation of Goal 2 of the National Traveller Health Action Plan 2022-2027 which sets out to ‘Improve Traveller’s equality of access participation and outcomes in mainstream health services through a human rights-based approach.
“The South East Traveller Health Unit (SETHU), which aims to improve health outcomes for Travellers in the HSE Carlow, Kilkenny and Tipperary South and HSE Waterford and Wexford Integrated Healthcare Areas, has been successful in their application for funding under the Traveller Brighter Beginnings Initiative. This is an exciting opportunity to further strengthen and build on the critical work being delivered by the South East Traveller Health Unit. It also supports the development of a model of good practice in providing health services to improve equality of access, participation and health outcomes for Traveller children and their families.”
Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Professor Ellen Crushell said:
“The routine interventions offered through the National Healthy Childhood Programme are critical in supporting the health of children in Ireland. Early detection of some conditions through newborn screening can lead to improved health outcomes, while children are protected against 14 infectious diseases through the Primary Childhood Immunisation Programme. All children have a right to this healthcare, but not everyone can access it. Through programmes like Brighter Beginnings, more children can benefit from the health supports that will set them up for a healthy future.”