Traveller Pride Week 2022
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Traveller Pride Week 2022 - Save the date
The Traveller Pride Week National Steering Committee have released the dates for this years Traveller Pride Week celebrations:
11th July: National Traveller Pride week events including the Traveller Pride Awards
18th July: Local Traveller Pride Week events
Further details of funding will be available in due course
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Traveller Pride Awards are back!
After 2 years of no awards due to the pandemic, the awards will go ahead on12th July 2022. Information about nominations coming soon.
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Your input is needed on ITM's draft Strategic Plan
The ITM Central Group would like to invite members to a consultation session on ITM's draft Strategic Plan for the next five years. Members' views and valued insights are crucial at this stage to ensure the plan is on the right track.
The session will take place on Wednesday 6th April, 10am-11.30am, on Zoom
The session will be led by Colette Kelleher and Kathleen O'Meara, who have been facilitating the development of the strategy so far.
They will present the draft version of the work done so far and you will have a chance to share your own views, inputs, and feedback on it to be considered in the next stage.
Please let us know if you will be attending by emailing membership@itmtrav.ie to receive the link and information.
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ITM AGM and Conference - Save the Date
The ITM AGM and Conference will take place in person on Thursday 29th September 2022 - Save the date!
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Letter of Concern regarding “A special programme on Ireland’s Traveller Community
ITM has sent a letter to RTE regarding the broadcast on Monday 21st of March 2022 of “A special programme on Ireland’s Traveller Community” by Claire Byrne Live, which coincided with the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, especially considering RTE’s statutory obligations as the national Public Service Media, and in view of matters raised in ITM’s submission to the Future of Media Commission 2021, and across UN and EU treaty reporting.
Concerns raised about the programme included
- The entrenched practice evident again in this Programme, where Travellers are required on programmes to refute claims against the community.
- The construction of the show and format and limited governance of RTE’s own codes and standards.
- Editorial decisions which are made to service media content rather than due care of the possible impact for negative stereotyping and anti-Traveller racism.
- The lack of impact assessment for Travellers, of public aired polling.
- The decision to seek the views of an elected non-Traveller representative on unsubstantiated opinion, validated by the platform of a high-profile show, causing offense and hurt to the community.
ITM is mandated by our members to advocate for a safe guarded space for Travellers on matters expressed in the media. In the time leading to the broadcast we were not convinced our concerns would be addressed and decided not to take part, where there would be a possible debate around non-Travellers views’ of Traveller accommodation.
Please contact us for further information, or if you are interested in making a complaint to RTE Jacinta@itmtrav.ie |
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We are hiring!
We are hiring a National Traveller Accommodation Policy Officer (part-time) to join our team.
Download the details and job description HERE
Closing date for applications 22st April 2022 at 5.00pm
We want to acknowledge our colleague Rose Marie Maughan for her unrelenting passion, energy, and dedication to Traveller accommodation. Rose Marie will be taking up a new and exciting role leading ITM's youth participation work. We know you will join us in congratulating Rose Marie and wishing her the best of luck in her new role.
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The last National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS) meeting on the 29th March had a focus on accommodation with junior minister with responsibility for Traveller accommodation, Peter Burke in attendance. ITM alongside the other Traveller organisations raised key issues including the need for national Traveller accommodation authority, the need for a strong midterm review process for the Traveller Accommodation Programmes, and highlighted issues with the pilot caravan loan scheme that is currently underway.
The next meeting of the Accommodation Working Group is on Thursday the 5th of May at 11 am. All members welcome to attend!
The Irish Traveller Movement in partnership with Pavee Point and National Traveller Women's Forum have submitted to the consultation for the National Youth Homelessness Strategy. This submission is available on our website
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Funding Opportunities
Rethink Ireland
The application deadline for Rethink Ireland's Equity in Education Fund has now been extended to 7th April 2022.
Rethink Ireland’s Equity in Education Fund will provide three years of cash grants and business support to organizations focused on enhancing educational engagement and improving formal and non formal educational outcomes for young people from Traveler, Roma and Migrant/Refugee backgrounds as well as those experiencing rural disadvantage. Click here for further information about the fund and its criteria.
Dormant Accounts
A call for funding through Dormant Accounts is expected in the coming month which will present opportunities for projects addressing educational disadvantage of Travellers and Roma. Further details on the criteria of the funding and other information will be available soon and we will inform all members.
Anti Bullying Research
The Department of Education commissioned research to be carried out by DCU in line with Action 18 of the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy on the effectiveness of the Department’s anti-bullying procedures on Traveller and Roma experiences in the school system.
DCU Anti-Bullying Centre have now published the research and you access it through this link:
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Political Advocacy and Policy
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Universal Periodic Review - Outcome report adopted
The Irish Traveller Movement welcomed the adoption this month by the United Nations Human Rights Council of the outcome report of the Working Group to the Universal Periodic Review. This group had raised concerns regarding the ongoing discrimination against Travellers, including hate speech, the lack of access to adequate accommodation, health, employment and education and the need to preserve and develop Traveller culture and identity in Ireland.
The Irish Traveller Movement were among the civil society organisations who submitted to the UPR process.
The Government has accepted 221 of the Committee’s 260 recommendations which include specific recommendations regarding Travellers & Roma.
Read ITM's full statement here
Ireland's compliance with the European Social Charter
ITM notes the update provided by the European Committee of Social Rights regarding Ireland's compliance with the European Social Charter. ITM made replies in relation to the status of Traveller accommodation in 2021 on the Government's National Report to the Committee. The submission is here
Irish Time article:
Provision of Traveller housing must be ‘accelerated’, Council of Europe body warns
UN CERD
ITM made a submission to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) towards its Follow-Up report on Ireland.
National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy Meeting
The NTRIS Plenary, chaired by Roderic O'Gorman Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, met on the 29th March with a focus on Traveller accommodation. Minister Peter Burke with responsibility for Traveller accommodation was invited to attend.
ITM, alongside other national Traveller organisations raised concerns and put forward key solutions including the need for a national Independent Traveller accommodation authority, given the ongoing crisis in lack of provision of Traveller accommodation. A midterm review of Traveller Accommodation Programmes will be underway soon throughout Ireland. Consistency in the reporting process is required in addressing the inconsistencies, lack of ambition, low targets, and lack of alignment to city and county development plans, and rising homelessness within the Traveller community.
There was a further call seeking Traveller participation on the National Homeless Action Committee given the severity of homelessness and a call once again for the full implementation of the Expert Report and its recommendations. It was also noted the importance of the Roma community's concerns on accommodation needs with further action urgently needed to mitigate against these.
The review of NTRIS will be completed in the third quarter of 2022. The outcome of the review will then feed into a new strategy alongside engagement with stakeholders.
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Awards Ceremony 2022
The Yellow Flag Awards Ceremony 2022 took place on March 3rd. The event, which was run online for the first time ever, showcased the wonderful work of five schools in achieving Yellow Flag status -two primary and three secondary. The students spoke wonderfully about their experience with the programme, and shared examples of what they learnt. The ceremony was hosted by RTE Presenter, Emer O’Neill, and included a very special performance by Sharyn Ward of “Tinker’s Lullaby”.
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Minister Norma Foley visited our Kerry school the next day, to mark their achievement. The event was a big success, and both the students and teachers really enjoyed the experience. You can watch the event back here.
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Autism Acceptance Month
April is Autism Acceptance month. We support and celebrate Autistic Travellers and want to ensure that they feel accepted. We are proud partners of AsIAm, Ireland's national Autism charity. You can find out more information about autism and lots of supports and resources at asiam.ie
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Eileen Flynn makes history again
On March 3rd, Senator Eileen Flynn made history as the first Traveller to address Dáil Éireann. She spoke on the Joint Oireachtas Committee Report addressing key issues affecting the Traveller community, which includes key recommendations for areas such as Health, Education, Employment and Accommodation.
You can see/read the speech here
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Music Capital Scheme
The Music Capital Scheme provides funding for the purchase of musical instruments to individual professional performing musicians and non-professional performing groups.
Deadline: 21st April
Apply here
iReport.ie Reports of Racism in Ireland 2021
The Irish Network Against Racism (INAR) published its 2021 Reports of Racism in Ireland based on data collected through the iReport Racist Incident reporting System.
There is a YouTube video with a summary of the findings.
Some key points:
- There were 404 reports in 2021: 103 hate speech, 90 discrimination
- Staff in public sector bodies responsible for 30% of all discrimination
- Low reporting among Travellers and Roma consistent with 2020
- Travellers lodged 14% of discrimination reports, 4% of crime or racist incidents reported
- Regarding Hate Speech, Travellers the second-most targeted in reports, after black community
Read the full report by clicking here
Visit ireport.ie for more information about reporting a racist incident
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National Traveller Accommodation Policy Officer (Part-time)
Irish Traveller Movement
Closing date: 22nd April
Click here for more information
Traveller Programmes Manager
St Catherine's Community Service Centre Carlow
Closing date: 10th April
Click here for more information
Traveller Community Health Worker
Travellers of North Cork
Closing date: 1pm on 15th April
Click here for more information
Project Development Officer (21 hrs per week) and Community Development Outreach Worker (28 hours per week)
Co. Clare Traveller Community Development Project
Closing date: 8th April
Click here for more information
Administration Assistant (Maternity Cover)
Cork Traveller Visibility Group
Closing date: 15th April
Click here for more information
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