Emily Logan, Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission stated today:
“Research recently published by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has shown that Travellers are almost ten times more likely to deal with instances of discrimination then the general population, and twenty-two times more likely to face discrimination when availing of some private services. “This is just part of the reality for Travellers in Ireland today. “The recognition of Traveller ethnicity over a year ago, was part of an acknowledgment that we have in the past simplistically labelled Travellers as failed settled people, and that this historic approach delivered a denial of their rights and equality of treatment in particular in education, health and housing which the State is still dealing with today. “The legal cases currently being dealt with by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission continues to paint a picture of persistent discrimination and inertia towards the provision of services for the Traveller community, most commonly in the area of Traveller accommodation.”ENDS/ For further information, please contact: Brian Dawson, IHREC Communications Manager, 01 8589601 / 087 0697095 bdawson@ihrec.ie Follow us on twitter @_IHREC