Equality Conference Nov 2005

ITM Equality Conference November 8^th 2005 By Catherine Joyce

Context

Let me start have by saying thanks for the invitation to address this conference which is an important one and comes at a very critical time not only for Travellers but for all who are involved in the human rights movement.

Travellers for the past number of years have been saying that things seem to be going backwards, and this is true if we look at the situation in relation to pub cases which have been referred back to the courts: also if we look at what is happening with the whole social partnership process where groups find themselves in a position of having no choice but to pull out.

Irish Traveller Movement

Before I go into the presentation I would like briefly to explain what ITM is

ITM is a national representative organisation, we are a membership based organisation and the membership is made up of over 70 local Traveller groups and organisations throughout the country. Pavee Point, the National Traveller Women’s’ Forum, the Northern Ireland Traveller Movement and the Irish Traveller Movement UK are members of ITM. We work at two levels, firstly national policy development and implementation and secondly membership support and development.

Main areas where ITM seeks to progress Traveller Human rights

Accommodation
Education
Equality
Health
Justice

Equality

The issue of equality is a challenging one for organisations like ITM as it underpins all of the other key priorities that we do.

Accommodation

We cannot look at accommodation for Travellers as only an issue about access to houses. If we are to look at it from an equality point of view we need to take into account culturally appropriate provision, design and the right of Travellers who chose to live with their extended family

Health

Is the same we cannot just say that the service is there for all to use if they want to. Health promotion needs to target Travellers as potential users of the service and adapt it to meet the needs of Travellers?

Education

If we look at what is happening is schools to Traveller children

There has been great improvements made in Travellers attending primary school but if we look at the progression and the attainment levels for Traveller children and compare it to there settled peers they are very different.

It has been said, and is very easy to say that Traveller children are not achieving because they miss too many days from school, their parents had no schooling and therefore do not expect too much from their children, don’t try hard enough and once they get the basics they will do OK.

But if we are to look at it from an equality perspective we would be saying that Traveller children need to have the same opportunities and possibilities as settled children and sometimes this might mean putting in additional resources and providing it differently. And I don’t mean withdrawing Traveller children from subjects like maths and Irish as this will limit their opportunities at second level

Justice and equality

For NGOs it is sometimes easier to shout about the inequalities that are happening in society to groups like Travellers, than it is to look at the campaigns that we need to have to promote equality and justice.

ITM has made a number of attempts at been proactive in the area of promoting equality and justice for Travellers. ITM were actively involved in campaigning for, and designing of one of the most significant pieces of legislation in this country, which seeks to promote equality: the Equal Status act 2002.

Not only does the legislation seek to ensure access to goods and services but it specifically names Travellers as one of the nine groups that are protected in the act.

While ITM and the work we did on informing our members on their rights under the legislation were successful (In the first two years of the act been introduced 70 % of the cases taken against pubs were taken by Travellers), It was to be to our detriment as the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, looked at the volume of cases as a problem for the system and not from the perspective of Travellers or Traveller organisations who were faced with dealing with the discrimination faced by Travellers

Then in 2004 the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Government changed the law so cases against pubs that refuse Travellers are now dealt with in the District Court. This is what I consider a prime example of inequality and now Travellers who need to take a case against a pub that refuses them is faced with having to challenge the

Publican’s licence,
Take legal action,
Get a solicitor,
And prove that they were discriminated against because they are a Traveller

No longer do Travellers have the right to go to the equality Authority or the Equality Tribunal with cases against pubs.

I will conclude by calling on you the participants at this conference to name the issues of equality and the areas where inequality is prevalent and have your say on who we believe can ensure real equality for Travellers.

I will leave you with a call I feel we need to make from this conference and it is to the current Minister for Justice.

And it is to:
Comply with EU policy and the CERD convention to recognisee Travellers as an Ethnic Minority Group

END.

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