As mental health issues increase dramatically for all sectors of the Irish community during the Covid-19 pandemic, gay travellers have called for more funding for their special needs.
According to DublinLive, gay Travellers are awaiting an announcement later this week from an organisation called The Community Foundation of Ireland about a new fund specifically support the mental well-being of LGBT community in Ireland.
The gay traveller group have also produced a 2021 calendar to create awareness of their issues. DublinLive quote Senator Eileen Flynn, the first female Traveller to become a Senator saying she “was proud to be a member of the action group which produced the calendar. It’s about valuing people differently within our community, rather than coming down on anyone for their sexuality and gender”.
The LGBT community say higher levels of poor mental health are common both in the Traveller community and the LGBT+ community which may result in them facing discrimination.
The Community Foundation of Ireland organisation which is expected to announce further LGBT funding had a massive €51.9 million in available funds according to its latest financial report of 2018 whilst distributing €7.4 million in the same year to community groups in areas such as Children and Young People, Families, Travellers/Roma, Migrants, Refugees and Asylum seekers.
Whilst The Community Foundation for Ireland has provided around €1m in funding to LGBTI+ groups over the last 21 years, Lone parents received just €7500 from the Foundation in 2018.
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