Youth activist from Newbridge, County Kildare, calls for strategy to alleviate Traveller mental health crisis

A youth activist based in Newbridge has called for changes to be made in order to alleviate the mental health crisis facing many members of the Travelling Community.

18-year-old James Stokes, who previously announced that he intends to run in the local elections next year as a member of Sinn Féin, discussed the topic with Kildare FM Radio Station host Eoin Beatty on Monday, December 4 last.

Mr Beatty and Mr Stokes, the latter of whom is a member of the Travelling Community, brought up the recent documentary 'Patrick: A Young Traveller Lost', which concerned the late Patrick McDonagh, a 12-year-old member of the Travelling Community who died by suicide.

Patrick had suffered from extreme bullying prior to his death in relation to his identity as a Traveller, and President Michael D Higgins has said that the documentary should be seen in every household and school throughout Ireland.

When Mr Beatty asked Mr Stokes about the extent of the mental health crisis affecting Travellers, Mr Stokes replied: "It is shocking... I don't know if any of your listeners have had the chance to watch it (yet), but it talks about Patrick, and his mother and father came across in it so well.

"He (Patrick) goes to school, he does English, loves science... then one day, his mother makes him dinner, and nothing seems wrong, but they found out that he took his own life."

"It's shocking, but it's not surprising, and that's the problem with this," he added.

James Stokes. File photograph.

Mr Stokes continued: "Racism against Travellers is widely accepted: 85 per cent of people said that they wouldn't have a Traveller as a friend; over one in 10 Travellers take their own lives; these statistics shouldn't be surprising, given the evident racism towards Travellers."

When asked by Mr Beatty about his view on why the mental health crisis in the Travelling Community is so bad, Mr Stokes said: "As I hinted on there, there are obviously a few factors involved, but one of the main factors that I believe (is worsening the crisis) is the racism towards Travellers.

"You see the text messages that Patrick received from some people, people slagging him and being openly abusive towards him (over his Traveller identity)... what has Patrick done (to warrant the abuse)? What had this 12-year-old boy done?"

He continued: "Me, myself, I'm running for the local elections in Newbridge and I'm posting stuff on social media, even the abuse I get in my replies... now, it doesn't bother me, but that's not to say that the abuse wouldn't bother someone else."

"And then, the facilities for Travellers: Travellers have been let down in nearly every issue. The government has continued to let us (the Travelling Community) down. 

"There is a lack of political will to support Travellers, and it's wrong."

When the subject of halting sites and caravan encampments was brought up by Mr Beatty, Mr Stokes said: "There is one in Kildare, my own grandad used to live there over sixty years ago, back when he was a child.

"But yeah, there's only the one in Kildare and from what I've heard from other Travellers, when they're trying to get Traveller-specific accommodation, County Councils will say 'don't tick that box, don't fill that out, because you won't have a hope (in securing the accommodation)."

"Those facilities are just not there for them," he added.

"WHAT DID PATRICK DO? WHAT DID THAT POOR BOY DO?"

Mr Beatty also asked Mr Stokes 'if Travellers all get tarred with the one brush, as there are a certain cohort out there who are givin Travellers a bad name?"

In response, Mr Stokes said: "Of course there are a percentage that would give Travellers a bad name, but there's bad people everywhere; I wouldn't blame you, Eoin, for something that someone else did downtown, you know?

"I was at a meeting last week — I work in a job where I help Traveller children overcome barriers to education — there's a number of reasons why they struggle to stay in education, but one of my main concerns is that they'll go on and get their education, even a degree, and do exactly what they've been told to do (by society), but when they put in their CV to get a job, they're refused.

"They feel as though, no matter what, there will always be a barrier."

Referring back to the late Patrick McDonagh, Mr Stokes said: "What did Patrick do? What did poor Patrick do, or even any other Traveller who had taken their own lives, what did they do to deserve it?"

Mr Beatty then asked Mr Stokes if there was stigma within the Travelling Community about coming forward to discuss their mental health issues, or if the help isn't there for them, Mr Stokes replied: "It's a mix of everything."

He also reiterated his view that the government have let down the Travelling Community for decades, and that there is 'a lack of political will' to help Travellers.

Lastly, Mr Stokes said that he would like to see the government implement a National Mental Health Strategy for members of the Travelling Community: "It's what's needed, and what has been promised for so long, so why are they (the government) holding off?

"There has to be action, and the time is now," he concluded.

The day after the interview, Mr Stokes attended a peaceful protest outside Dáil Éireann, which called on the government to address the mental health crisis in Ireland.

He was accompanied at the event by his fellow Kildare-based Sinn Féin colleagues, Réada Cronin TD and Patricia Ryan TD.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact Samaritans Ireland (116123 or jo@samaritans.org) or you can visit pieta.ie (24/7 Free Crisis Helpline: 1800 247 247 or Text HELP to 51444).

For further information about the National Traveller Mental Health Service, please visit https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/primarycare/socialinclusion/travellers-and-roma/irish-travellers/the-national-traveller-mental-health-service/ or call 01 8721094  (Monday – Friday between the hours of 9AM – 5PM, 4PM on Fridays)