The IHRC publishes its submission to Government on Traveller ethnicity. In its submission, the IHRC recommends that the Government recognise Travellers as an ethnic minority group in the State in order to meet Ireland’s human rights obligations.
The submission builds on previous work of the IHRC including its 2004 discussion paper on the human rights issues raised concerning Traveller ethnicity. Since that time, both the UN Human Rights Committee and the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination have recommended to Government that it take the necessary steps to recognise Travellers as an ethnic minority group. This was also one of the recommendations made during Ireland’s Universal Periodic Review in 2011/ 2012.