IRELAND - HRC CALL FOR TRAVELLERS TO BE RECOGNIZED AS ETHNIC MINORITY

The United Nations Human Rights Committee meeting in Geneva last month has urged the Irish government to recognise the Traveller community as an ethnic minority.

The plight of the Traveller community in Ireland was first highlighted almost twenty years ago by the Celtic League in our document 'Human Rights on the Celtic Fringe' since that time there have been improvements but the HRC report is a timely reminder that more can be done.

The relevant section of the HRC report is set out below:

"23. The Committee is concerned that the State party does not intend to recognize the Traveller community as an ethnic minority. It is furthermore concerned that members of the Traveller community were not represented in the High Level Group on Traveller Issues. The Committee is also concerned about criminalization of trespassing of land in the 2002 Housing Act which disproportionately affects Travellers (art. 26, 27). The State party should take steps to recognize Travellers as an ethnic minority group. The State party should also ensure that in public policy initiatives concerning Travellers, representatives from the Traveller Community should always be included. It should also amend its legislation to meet the specific accommodation requirements of Traveller families."

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J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League

03/08/08