National Traveller Women’s Forum,
4-5 Eustace Street, Dublin 2
Phone: +353 (0) 1 6727430
086 1933866
Email: [email protected] Website: www.ntwf.net
Response to the Department Justice Re. UPR
The past fortnight has been very difficult with the tragic loss of 10 lives in the early hours
of Saturday morning on the 10th of October. While we do not yet know the details of
what caused the fire our worst fears have been realised and there has been a major
incident in a temporary halting site resulting in a terrible loss of life. Subsequent
developments and the standoff with residents at the proposed six-month temporary site
added to the awfulness of the situation. We know these details are known by the
Department and that there is lot of support around this issue but we couldn’t submit this
response at this time without acknowledging Willie Lynch (25), his partner Tara Gilbert
(27) and their children Jodie (9) and Kelsey (4), Jimmy Lynch (39), Sylvia Connors (25),
her husband Thomas Connors (27) and their three children, Jim (5), Christy (2) and
Mary (5 months).
Due to time constraints and other demands we will not go into any great detail in this
Response. The National Traveller Women’s Forum made a submission to the UPR
process in September 2015. Below are a number of key areas/questions we would like
to see addressed in the State report.
Recognition of Traveller Ethnicity: What is the current block the Irish government
have in recognising Travellers as an ethnic minority?
National Traveller Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS): In terms of progress it would be
very important to acknowledge the commitment from both the state and NGO’s to this
process.
The Department need to ensure NTRIS has a strong gender dimension and that it
delivers for Traveller women.
National Women Strategy: How has the National Women’s Strategy been
inclusive of Traveller Women? Will there be the development of new Women’s
Strategy and what is being done to ensure Traveller women will be included?
NTWF Oct. 2015
Discrimination/Racism: We have seen an increase in negative stereotyping, prejudice
and negative attitudes to Travellers in the media, judiciary, and at societal level much of
which goes unchallenged. What is the state doing to address this?
Impact of Austerity: Funding cuts have impacted on Traveller initiatives at local,
regional and national levels as a result of austerity measures. How will the state
ensure that Travellers who benefited least from the boom are not further
disadvantaged?
Implementation: An overarching issue across all issues/areas impacting on Travellers
is the lack of implementation. In general the relevant departments have developed (in
partnership with the NTWF and other organisations) robust policy in relation to
Travellers. Progress falters however when it comes to implementation. How could the
state better support implementation of Traveller policy going forward?
Accommodation: Accommodation is one of the key determinates of health and the
appropriate type and standard of Traveller accommodation does impact greatly on life
expectancy and on all other aspects of Traveller lives such as economic, social and
cultural. The significantly high number of families living without permanent
accommodation or inadequate accommodation has particular consequences for
Traveller women.
What is the state doing to ensure no Traveller families live in substandard and
unsafe accommodation?
The State needs to provide detailed information on the use of the Housing
Miscellaneous Provisions Act, and consider its impact on vulnerable families?
What is the state doing to ensure delivery of the national Traveller
accommodation strategy and delivery of Traveller Specific Accommodation in
particular?
Health: We recommend:
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Implementation of the 2010 All Ireland Traveller Health Study
A new Traveller Health Strategy.
Reconvene the National Traveller Health Advisory Committee
Inclusion of Traveller women’s issues and concerns in any policy or legislative
developments which seek to address violence against women.
NTWF Oct. 2015
 An Ethnic Identifier within the health system.
What is the State currently doing to achieve progress in the area of Traveller
women’s Health?
Education - In 2006 a robust policy for Traveller education was developed by all key
stakeholders including Travellers and Traveller organisations: Towards a Traveller
Education Strategy 2006: 8 years later many of the recommendations contained in this
report remain unimplemented. There is no implementation strategy to monitor
appropriately the implementation of the recommendations. Agreement was
reached that this would be developed as a priority for 2013. Although we still await this
implementation strategy two years on from that commitment.
What is the State currently doing to achieve progress in the area of Traveller
women’s Education?
Employment: Many Traveller women are unemployed and living on social welfare. A
high percentage of Traveller women who are in employment are in low paid and
insecure jobs.
What plans does the state have to tackle employment inequalities experienced by
Traveller women?
Data Collection: Disaggregated data is an important mechanism for assessing and
monitoring the situation for Traveller women.
What progress has been made in relation to data collection on Travellers in
particular gender disaggregated data?
Participation of Traveller women in Political and public life: The Irish government
needs to insure there is a strong gender focus in any of the work being implemented
with Travellers and political representation.
Can you describe what measures the State intends to adopt to ensure Traveller
women’s engagement in political life?
NTWF Oct. 2015