‘Time to end the structural inequalities experienced by the Traveller community. We deserve better’ was the opening tagline to the #travellerhomesnow round table event organised by Galway Traveller Movement focusing on the Traveller accommodation crisis in University of Galway on Monday, June 19
Attended by members of Galway’s Traveller Community, Government bodies and local and national politicians, the focus of the event was to amplify the voices and ‘the lived experiences of a community left behind’. Poignant play ‘Ireland Shed a Tear’, which tells the story of the Carrickmines Tragedy, was performed by the Traveller Wagon Wheel Theatre Company.
The productive round table meeting looked at the failings to acknowledge the ‘unique forms of racism endured by the community’ in the National Action Plan against Racism which was introduced in March this year, and the new National Traveller and Roma strategy which is currently being developed.
With a follow up meeting planned for early autumn, the #travellerhomesnow is calling for accountability from the Irish state and will be monitoring progress on the accommodation crisis and will be issuing reports on a regular basis.
