Seven times more Traveller men and six times more Traveller women die by suicide compared to the general population, according to figures from the National Traveller Mental Health Network.
The numbers are the basis for discussion at an Oireachtas Committee meeting later.
Representatives from five Traveller advocate groups will appear before TDs and Senators to highlight their plight as part of Mental Health Awareness Week.
Chair of today's committee, Senator Colette Kelleher, said mental illness is a massive issue in the Traveller community:
Senator Kelleher said: "82% of people who were surveyed in a study done by Behaviour and Attitudes last year said they were directly affected by suicide.
"The small community, it's only 40,000 people, it's the same size as the population of a town the size of Swords. So when you have that weight of mental unhealth among you, the affect is huge."
