Back to: Home >

About the Traveller Legal Unit

Legal Unit's Approach:

The Legal Unit tested a new approach to legal work with Travellers. This approach involves the use of community development principles and processes "whereby those who are marginalised and excluded are enabled to gain in self-confidence, to join others and to participate in action to change their situation and to tackle the problems facing their community."¹ It employs principles such as empowerment, participation and collective action which combined with legal approaches ensures that Travellers are developing the skills and knowledge to become fully involved in implementing the legal strategy at a local and national level.

1. Hugh Fraser (2001) 'Racism Poverty and Community Development', in Farrell, F. and Watt, P. (eds Responding to Racism in Ireland

Achievements to date:

The achievements of the work of the Legal Unit in its two and a half years of operation have been considerable:

Centre of Expertise–It has developed into a centre of expertise for both the Traveller community and legal professionals on Traveller legal issues.
Test cases–The Unit has supported the taking of cases of strategic importance to the Traveller community such as accommodation provision, education issues and a challenge to the trespass legislation. Many of these cases are in the process of going through the legal process and will be heard over the coming years.
New Approaches–It has piloted the model of combining the community development and legal approaches. This has initiated the mobilisation of Traveller organisations to develop strategic relationships with legal professionals and begin to utilise the legal system to bring about human rights for Travellers.
Establishment of the Strategic Forum– The forum is made up of policy makers, service providers, and legal service providers. This Forum has informed its members of issues emerging from the ongoing work of the Legal Unit and has implemented changes in practice that will progress Traveller legal issues.
Developed strategic linksA range of links were formed with the Independent Law Centres, Law Library of Ireland, Law Society of Ireland, and legal professionals, which put Traveller legal issues on the relevant agendas.
Contributed to policy developmentA range of policy submissions were made monitoring government commitments to human rights instruments e.g. submission to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racism and Discrimination.
Developed proposal for the issuing of practice certificates to non legal organisations –This involved liasing with the Independent Law Centres and Law Society of Ireland to gain recognition for community legal organisations.
Training and development- Training sessions were organised around the country to develop the skills and expertise of Traveller organisations as advocates in accessing legal rights.
Development of Traveller Advocacy Project–EU funding was secured to develop a specific training programme for Travellers interested in becoming community advocates.
Development of a Legal Access Programme–EU funding was secured to develop and promote employment opportunities for Travellers within the legal profession.
Development of resource materials–two legal packs were published, one targeted at Traveller organisations and the other a resource for the legal professionals which set out the legal position regarding all of the issues facing Travellers.

Staffing of the Legal Unit

Damien Peelo – Legal Development Officer

Anne Jennings – Co-ordinator Transpose

Elizabeth Davidson – Co-ordinator LEAP

Thomas McCann – Equality officer

Linda Stenson – Administration

Publications and Submissions

Links to Strategic Plan, CERD, Legal Packs for Legal Professional and legal packs for Traveller Groups, Liquor Licence submission, Framework Convention

Back to: Home >