The Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD, announced that the Brighter Beginnings initiative, the HSE Traveller healthy childhood programme, will expand into two additional health regions. The initiative builds on the progress achieved through the Traveller Health Action Plan 2022–2027 and aims to reduce health inequalities among Traveller children by supporting families to engage with HSE childhood health services.
Recurring funding of €250,000 per year has been allocated to each of the selected regions: HSE Dublin and North East and HSE Dublin and Midlands. This expansion follows the programme’s initial rollout last year in HSE West North West and HSE Dublin and South East, marking a significant growth in reach and impact.
Minister Murnane O’Connor highlighted the government’s commitment to culturally informed child health services, emphasizing that Brighter Beginnings helps Traveller parents access vital childhood health supports, including vaccination programmes, developmental checks, and screenings. She noted that investing in this initiative now will provide Traveller children with the opportunity for healthier starts in life.
Aisling Heffernan, Integrated Healthcare Area Manager for HSE Dublin South and Wicklow and Chair of the National Traveller Health Implementation Group, welcomed the additional funding. She highlighted the continuing health inequalities faced by the Traveller community, noting that Traveller infant mortality rates remain more than three and a half times higher than national averages, underscoring the importance of targeted health interventions.
The Brighter Beginnings initiative is a collaborative effort between the Department of Health, the HSE, and Traveller organisations, including Primary Health Care for Travellers Projects, to address child health inequalities and ensure equitable access to essential health services for Traveller families.
