A new study has shown that life expectancy for traveller men has not improved in the past 23 years.
The all-Ireland study finds it is still at the 1987 level of 61.7 years.
That is more than 15 years less than the general population.
The life expectancy for traveller women has improved from 65 to 70 years but it still remains 11 years behind the general population.
Higher infant death rates, suicide rates in men 7-times worse than the general population and continuing discrimination were also revealed.
Head of the School of Public Health at UCD Cecily Kelleher led the research.
“Education is absolutely important and that’s agreed by all concerned – including travellers themselves” she said.
“It is true very few people get past the primary education and that is a barrier that really needs to be dealt with”.
“Education is important in many ways; it’s important for life skills, gaining a job, access to employment, self-esteem” she added.
