HSE spending on non health related issues eg Traveller conflict resolution

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ajapale

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Now, a new inter-agency Travellers' conflict strategy has been developed by the Health Service Executive to try to end the violence.
The new mediation service will provide support for an alternative dispute resolution programme.
New research to be published today shows some of the underlying difficulties; including a perception that some gardaí are biased against many of the feuding families and confirmation that young children are also being brought into the conflict as the rows worsen.
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Why do we have to expend scarce health resources on what are clearly justice and "law and order" issues?

Why do we need an expensive HSE report to tell us that habitual law breakers (violent feuders) do not trust the police!
 
ajapale said:
Why do we have to expend scarce health resources on what are clearly justice and "law and order" issues?

Why do we need an expensive HSE report to tell us that habitual law breakers (violent feuders) do not trust the police!
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If you have notice we've had some conflicts with travllers over the last year. The HSE now knows they are under threat by the An Bord Snip report, so they have to be seeing to be useful and they think this CR report provides a good excuse why they should not face cut backs.

Pathetic really.
 
Pavee Point are involved in many of these reports

From their website
Pavee Point Travellers' Centre has supported a demonstration organised by SIPTU against further cuts to the Community Development Programme. Many Traveller organisations are Community Development Programme projects. Cuts to the CDP would endanger decades of progress
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That Community Development Program has quite a few goals.
In fact they claim it's vital!
SIPTU must be gettting involved to represent the public service staff who are involved. And it involves quite a few departments, read on

Education and Employment:

• Many Traveller organisations are also CDPs.

• Traveller CDPs provide employment, advice and support to Travellers

No Traveller CDPs = More Traveller Unemployment

Healthcare:

Traveller CDPs work on the health of Travellers across the country, supporting Primary Health Care workers.

At birth, a Traveller will have a life expectancy between 10 and 12 years less than a settled person. It’s getting better, but mostly because Traveller CDPs and PHCs are on the ground, providing health education and support to Travellers.

No Traveller CDPs = More Travellers in poor health

Conflict in the community:

• Traveller CDPs are often the first response to conflict within the community, working closely with the Gardaí and other agencies to address conflict

• Removing the support for Traveller CDPs would result in no local organisation available to help deal with conflict

No Traveller CDPs = More Conflict

Accommodation:

• 1,700 Traveller families are in need of decent accommodation

Traveller CDPs work with the Local Authorities to address shortages and work towards providing decent homes for Ireland’s poorest group.

No Traveller CDPs = More Travellers at the side of the road
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These CDP's sound fantastic, like the solution to every problem....until something goes wrong
 
IMHO anything that can be done to bring those who are marginalised by our society in is worth spending money on. Are we looking for another moyross?
 
Is this strategy going to be a cross agency initiative or one of the HSE - where is it going to be piloted - and is the Irish Traveller Movement involved?
 
Henny Penny said:
IMHO anything that can be done to bring those who are marginalised by our society in is worth spending money on. Are we looking for another moyross?
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Who is marginalised? Travellers have been getting by on their 'culture' for too long and should have to abide by the rules like the rest of us.
 
MrMan said:
Who is marginalised? Travellers have been getting by on their 'culture' for too long and should have to abide by the rules like the rest of us.
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+1

The rule of law should be enforced though the heavans fall. If you break the law you should suffer the consequences.
 
Back to the point of the thread, I too was curious about the involvement of the HSE and looked into it. Particularly in light of that Eurostat report and some other comment recently, IMO I think a lot of things the HSE does end up being tarred with the same brush as A&E waits and hospital waiting lists... it can't all be that bad.

Turns out that the HSE has a social inclusion remit - meaning that it has to work with groups that are recognised as being marginalised on their health and wellbeing needs - more here: [broken link removed]
Seeing since certain elements of the travelling community don't do their neighbours any favours and that there are reports of children being dragged into disputes, I don't think its a bad thing that the HSE should move to work on conflict resolution. If that jargony term 'social gain' means improved family life (and particularly if children are spared the abuse of irresponsible disputes carried out by unreasonable adults) then surely that has to be a good thing?
 
Look up YouTube under the title Bare Knuckle Mums to see traveller women fighting with small children looking on and then tell me all Travellers care about children's health and well being. Maybe the HSE should have staff living on every halting site ready to jump in whenever fights start?

Travellers are adults, not unruly, troublesome kids, even if some behave like that, it is up to these adults to sort out trouble in their own community.
 
Complainer said:
Is it really such a big deal which department the funding comes from?
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Yes, I think it is!

It is important that government departments and agencies have a clearly defined mission and objectives. This allows us review their performance against those objectives.

I prefer small well focused agencies to carry out government policy. I am against amalgamating really diverse activities into one hugh amorphous HSE.
 
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