NEWS RELEASE

CUTS WILL GIVE TRAVELLERS A LIFE WITHOUT HOPE
Irish Traveller Movement Issues Pre-Budget Submission

25th November 2009

The Irish Traveller Movement (ITM) has called on the Government not to implement proposed cuts affecting Travellers nationwide to avoid further marginalising those at the very edge of Irish society.   In its pre-budget submission, issued today to the Departments of Finance and Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the ITM Traveller proofs the recommendations set out in the McCarthy Report, and outlines the impact they would have on Travellers’ lives in terms of equality, accommodation, education, health, employment and the rise of poverty within the community.

Proposed measures such as the closure of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, further reductions in funding to Community Development Programmes (CDPs) and the absorption of CDPs under umbrella partnerships will have disastrous consequences for Travellers across Ireland and for the Traveller community as a whole.  The already high rate of unemployment among Travellers (currently 70 per cent) would only increase, there would be further divisions between Travellers and the settled community, and the many positive achievements of the last 20 years would be undone.

The ITM is calling on the Government to:

• Provide Traveller organisations, both national and local, with adequate funds to ensure the Traveller equality infrastructure within Ireland functions efficiently with Traveller participation throughout.
• Establish a National Traveller Accommodation Agency to oversee the implementation of the National Traveller Accommodation Strategy.
• Promote equality of access, participation and outcomes for Traveller learners within the education system by sustaining, ring fencing and re-directing resources to deliver the targets as outlined in the Report and Recommendations for a Traveller Education Strategy, as per existing commitments under the National Development Plan 2007-2013.
• Provide resources to support initiatives for Travellers to participate in employment in the public, private and voluntary sectors as per Towards 2016, including supports given under initiatives supporting traditional Traveller employment.

Rose Marie Maughan, ITM Membership Development Worker said: “I realise as a country we find ourselves in very challenging economic times but marginalising the already marginalised is not the answer.  If the proposed recommendations are implemented Travellers will be living a life without hope - in terms of our equality infrastructure and Traveller participation within policy development being eroded.  


“Without the support of Traveller organisations our health status, which already sees us dying on average 10 years younger than our settled counterparts would further decline; the achievements of the increasing number of Travellers going through the education system would be undermined and current levels of progression damaged in the future, and unemployment within our community, which is already at 70 per cent would only increase.  I believe that without the support of Traveller organisations, Travellers would give up hope that someday we would be viewed as equal Irish Citizens.  Who can Travellers turn to for support without Traveller organisations in place?  The answer is no one".

For further information, a copy of the ITM Pre-Budget Submission or to arrange an interview please contact:

Richie Ryan, ITM Communications Worker, 01 679 6577
Damien Peelo, Director, ITM, 01 679 6577