RISING LEVELS of depression and suicide among members of the Travelling community can be attributed to a lack of education, a conference has heard.
The Future for Traveller Education was the theme of the annual conference of the Irish Traveller Movement held in Limerick yesterday. Delegates from across the country attended the event where the impact of the recent cuts to resources in Traveller education was highlighted.
The conference was told that the rate of retention of Traveller pupils within schools, currently at its highest rate, is in jeopardy unless specific measures to retain learners were employed.
European boxing champion Willie “Big Bang” Casey, who opened the conference, said a lack of education was badly affecting many in the Traveller community, with some people turning to drugs and taking their own lives.
“Having a good education behind you will give you the values in life.
“A lot of Travellers now are hitting depression, they don’t know how to deal with it. They don’t know how to ask for help.
“They are thinking they can take drugs or drink and that will take the pain away but it makes it worse,” he said.