Pavee Point Traveller & Roma Centre is a national non-governmental organisation comprised of Travellers, Roma and members of the majority population working in partnership at local, regional, national, regional and international levels. Over the past 35 years Pavee Point has an established track record in innovative and ground-breaking work using a collective community development approach to addressing Traveller issues and promoting Traveller rights. Our direct work with Roma in Ireland commenced in 1998.

P.14 Drug and Alcohol Misuse
Pavee Point’s Drug and Alcohol Programme continued to respond to emerging issues in relation to substance use and COVID-19. This included in 2021:

• Coordinating and hosting the National Traveller Drug Network meetings
• Providing COVID-19 related information and support to Traveller health networks
• Raising Traveller and Roma COVID-19 health and substance use issues at local, regional and national levels
• Linking with local and regional Drug Alcohol Task Forces, community representatives, addiction services and local groups through various platforms
• Exploring creative ways of increasing Travellers access to services and online platforms
• Attendance at HSE Homeless teleconference

P.20 Local Drug Addiction Issues
Pavee Point’s Drug and Alcohol Programme linked in with Finglas Addiction Support Team on the employment and support of their social inclusion worker. This important development aims to support both parties to address the barriers faced and improve outcomes for Travellers across the service. Discussions continued with services in Coolock and Darndale and North East Inner City with the hope of replicating similar initiatives.

P.22 Traveller & Roma Networks
The National Traveller Drug Network met three times in 2021. These meetings focused on gathering/ sharing information (including COVID-19 related work) and emerging issues alongside providing support, ongoing updates from National Drug Strategy and providing an opportunity to connect with and learn from each other. The network continues to be an important space and provides an opportunity to capture a national picture of substance use and emerging issues and informs the development of a Traveller analysis of substance use which is used to inform policy and practice and was used as part of the Department of Health /National Drug Strategy three-year review. 

P.27 National Drugs Strategy
2021 marked the fourth year and the midterm review of the National Drugs Strategy. As part of the review process, in early 2021, Pavee Point alongside other partners fed into the review which was done by a written submission and engagement in a stakeholder’s meeting with the Department of Health.