support the traditional structural characteristics of the Traveller economy and Travellers’ participation in specific activities including market trading, recycling and the horse trade. Unfortunately, there has been little or no progress on those recommendations. Travellers, as well as other ethnic minority groups including Roma, experience barriers in accessing supports for enterprise, and the regulatory/ legislative infrastructure has had the effect of undermining the Traveller economy. These include: Fear of failure and lack of confidence, particularly for Traveller women entrepreneurs Education and skills Financial barriers for Travellers as well as other ethnic minority groups Loss of benefits, or fear of loss of benefits particularly in relation to the medical card, given Travellers health status. This can mean that Travellers will be fearful of testing the market and new enterprise ideas Information and access to networks, which also applies to all ethnic minorities and disadvantaged groups Lack of role models Regulations, which have had the effect of pushing Travellers out of key industries in the Traveller economy. Since the 1990s, Government legislation has impacted negatively on opportunities within the Traveller economy, most notably the legislation (Housing (Miscellaneous provisions) Act 2002); The Casual Trading Act (2005); Control of Horses Act (1996); EU directive on end of life of vehicles (2000); as well as proposed new legislation on scrap metal. There has been no impact assessment undertaken prior to the introduction of these Acts, nor has there been any measures taken by the State to mitigate their impact on Travellers. According to Pavee Point, the lack of acknowledgement in Ireland of Travellers roles in these sectors has had a particularly adverse effect on the economic life of Travellers in comparison with other groups and has resulted in the undermining of the Traveller economy. Discrimination whether direct or indirect, and half of all Travellers feel that they – experience direct discrimination Moreover, the specific sectors that some Traveller entrepreneurs engage in are excluded from enterprise support initiatives: for example, the part-time or seasonal nature of enterprise activity can exclude Traveller participation, and the sectors eligible for support from national and local enterprise programmes do not include many of the enterprise sectors Travellers participate in, and therefore have a discriminatory effect on Travellers. The results of Census 2011 highlights the following situation of Travellers in Ireland with regard to education: 69% of Travellers were educated to primary level or lower, including 507 persons aged between 15 and 19 in 2011.
support the traditional structural characteristics of the Traveller economy and Travellers’ participation in specific activities including market trading, recycling and the horse trade. Unfortunately, there has been little or no progress on those recommendations. Travellers, as well as other ethnic minority groups including Roma, experience barriers in accessing supports for enterprise, and the regulatory/ legislative infrastructure has had the effect of undermining the Traveller economy. These include: Fear of failure and lack of confidence, particularly for Traveller women entrepreneurs Education and skills Financial barriers for Travellers as well as other ethnic minority groups Loss of benefits, or fear of loss of benefits particularly in relation to the medical card, given Travellers health status. This can mean that Travellers will be fearful of testing the market and new enterprise ideas Information and access to networks, which also applies to all ethnic minorities and disadvantaged groups Lack of role models Regulations, which have had the effect of pushing Travellers out of key industries in the Traveller economy. Since the 1990s, Government legislation has impacted negatively on opportunities within the Traveller economy, most notably the legislation (Housing (Miscellaneous provisions) Act 2002); The Casual Trading Act (2005); Control of Horses Act (1996); EU directive on end of life of vehicles (2000); as well as proposed new legislation on scrap metal. There has been no impact assessment undertaken prior to the introduction of these Acts, nor has there been any measures taken by the State to mitigate their impact on Travellers. According to Pavee Point, the lack of acknowledgement in Ireland of Travellers roles in these sectors has had a particularly adverse effect on the economic life of Travellers in comparison with other groups and has resulted in the undermining of the Traveller economy. Discrimination – whether direct or indirect, and half of all Travellers feel that they experience direct discrimination Moreover, the specific sectors that some Traveller entrepreneurs engage in are excluded from enterprise support initiatives: for example, the part-time or seasonal nature of enterprise activity can exclude Traveller participation, and the sectors eligible for support from national and local enterprise programmes do not include many of the enterprise sectors Travellers participate in, and therefore have a discriminatory effect on Travellers. The results of Census 2011 highlights the following situation of Travellers in Ireland with regard to education: 69% of Travellers were educated to primary level or lower, including 507 persons aged between 15 and 19 in 2011.
2040submission.docx