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What is the Irish Traveller Movement (ITM)?
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IRISH TRAVELLER MOVEMENT
The Irish Traveller Movement (ITM) is a national network of organisations and individuals working within the Traveller community.
ITM was established in 1990 and now has over seventyTraveller organisations from all parts of Ireland in its membership. The Irish Traveller Movement consists of a partnership between Travellers and settled people committed to seeking full equality for Travellers in Irish society. This partnership is reflected in all of the structures of ITM.
The Irish Traveller Movement was formed to be a national platform, through which Travellers and their organisations are enabled to:
- Highlight the issues faced by Travellers and to press for real solutions.
- Debate ideas and formulate and promote culturally appropriate initiatives.
- Provide those active at a local level with support and solidarity.
- Develop alliances at national level.
- Challenge the many forms of individual, structural and institutional racism with which Travellers have to deal.
The Irish Traveller Movement has in its membership over 70 Traveller organisations from all parts of the island of Ireland, and has established contact with Irish Traveller groups in Britain.
Membership is open to all those who support the aims and objectives of the movement.
Traveller Organisations
The Report of the Task Force on the Traveller Community observed these features of Traveller organisations:
- They are non-governmental and independent of the statutory sector, although many of their activities are funded by the State.
- They are organised with a membership of Travellers and settled people seeking to work together as equal partners, but can also be organised with membership made up solely of Travellers. The effective participation of Travellers is the key feature of these organisations.
- They have taken an unambiguous supportive position in relation to Traveller issues and to the improvement of the living circumstances and general welfare of Travellers.
For more detailed information on Traveller organisations with contact details, please consult our Network section.
ABOUT IRISH TRAVELLERS
Travellers are an indigenous minority who, historical sources confirm, have been part of Irish society for centuries. Travellers long shared history, cultural values, language, customs and traditions make them a self-defined group, and one which is recognisable and distinct. Their culture and way of life, of which nomadism is an important factor, distinguishes them from the sedentary (settled) population.
There are an estimated 25,000 Travellers in Ireland, making up more than 4,485 Traveller families. This constitutes approximately 0.5% of the total national population. It is estimated that an additional 15,000 Irish Travellers live in Britain, with a further 10,000 Travellers of Irish descent living in the United States of America.
Travellers, as individuals and as a group, experience a high level of prejudice and exclusion in Irish society. Many have to endure living in intolerable conditions, with approximately one third having to live without access to the basic facilities of sanitation, water and electricity. This leads to ongoing health problems among the Traveller community. A report of the Health Research Board (1987) revealed that Traveller men live, on average, 10 years less than settled men, while Traveller women live on average 12 years less than their settled peers. Discrimination and its effects are a daily feature of Travellers lives.
In 1995, the Government published the Report of the Task Force on the Travelling Community. This report presents a comprehensive examination of the situation of the Traveller community and contains significant and convincing proposals for necessary change. To date, some of the recommendations of this important report have been implemented, but much remains to be done. It is vital that, in the coming years, the various Government agencies responsible, together with the community as a whole, work to ensure the full implementation of all the Task Force Reports recommendations Travellers might then have the experience of being treated and regarded as full, equal citizens of Ireland.