Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is extensive research to show that Travellers in Ireland stand out as a group that has experienced extreme disadvantage in education, housing, employment and health. According to the Economic and Social Research Institute landmark report, A Social Portrait of Travellers, published in January this year, almost 70% of Travellers live in caravans or overcrowded housing and 84% of caravan accommodation is overcrowded, with only 9% having Internet access. Just 1% of Travellers aged between 25 and 64 years have a college degree, compared with 30% of non-Travellers, and 97% of Travellers in the 25 to 34 age group left school without completing second level, compared to 14% of non-Travellers. Some 82% of Travellers are unemployed, compared with 17% of non-Travellers, and their health deteriorates more dramatically than non-Travellers as they age. Traveller women live 11 years less than non-Traveller women and the suicide rate is six times higher than the national average.

It is to be welcomed that Traveller ethnicity is finally to be recognised by the State and fair play to the Taoiseach for doing so but this token gesture must not distract from the fact that successive Governments have treated Travellers appallingly, and probably none more so than the Fine Gael-Labour Party Government with its austerity programme. Since the November 2011 austerity budget there has been a total cut of 86.6% to Traveller specific education supports. That is shameful. A review of the school completion programme has found that the removal of services such as visiting teachers and resource teachers for Travellers has had a negative impact on school retention for these pupils. Given that 28% of Travellers leave school before the age of 13, compared to 1% of non-Travellers, it is a bit soon for this House to be patting itself on the back.

This is not to diminish the importance of recognising Travellers' distinct ethnicity and identity. Traveller groups have argued that this measure will allow Irish Travellers to gain respect and recognition of the validity of their way of life, affirming Travellers as a group with a valid claim to be different and to expect to access services in ways that are consistent with their culture. The reality, however, is that recognition will not automatically or directly address the widespread structural inequalities and discrimination experienced by Travellers. It will not entitle Travellers to any additional legal rights or protections. The Government has argued this before the international committee for the elimination of racial discrimination but it must now reverse the cuts it imposed on Traveller education, accommodation and employment programmes. Recommendations for Government policy, including the task force on Travellers, the national Traveller education strategy and the national Traveller health strategy, should be implemented and harmful laws which discriminate against Travellers, such as the Trespass Act, should be repealed. The gesture of recognition of Traveller ethnicity will mean nothing if the Government does not change its policies relating to Travellers and if it continues to fail to discrimination-proof all new legislation and policy.

I looked up the word "ethnicity" and found "a group having a common cultural tradition". Just below it I saw a description for "ethnic cleansing", involving the "oppression of an ethnic or religious group within a certain area". I looked up the word "assimilate", which is "to absorb and digest into the body". Attempts have been made to force an ethnic group to conform to a so-called "norm", refusing their right to be different and treated fairly. There is a correlation with what happened to the American Indians and the Aborigines, and what is happening to the Palestinians today. In a way, we have done that to our Irish Travellers. I am not throwing stones at anyone and I would be the first to hold up my hand and say I did not do enough to make a difference. I am sorry for that but I hope today makes a difference.

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