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IRELAND IS FAILING to provide adequate safeguards for Travellers faced with eviction, a European social rights committee has ruled.
It also found that Travellers are not being provided with adequate accommodation, although “significant progress” to rectify the situation has been made in this area over recent years.
The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) took a case against Ireland to the European Committee of Social Rights, which is overseen by the Council of Europe.
The committee found Ireland to be in breach of Article 16 of the European Social Charter, which covers the provision of family housing.
However, a number of points raised by the ERRC were struck down as the Committee found them not to be breaching the rights of Travellers, such as laws relating to the protection of public health and safety.
The ruling highlights how despite 1,000 transient bays being required in 1995, there are just 54 in operation across the country.
Over the past two decades there has been a “significant” decline in the number of families living on unauthorised sites, with 3%, or 361 families, living in these conditions now.
The report says the Irish government contested “many of the details of the specific allegations regarding halting site standards”, but that the evidence points towards there being a “not insignificant number” of sites in poor condition.
This is in contrast to a 2010 study into Traveller health which found that many families did not have access to basic facilities such as flush toilets and running water.
Evictions was another issue raised by the ERRC, with laws being found to be lack sufficient safeguards to those facing eviction.
“Section 19 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 (as amended) fails to provide for prior consultation, adequate or any prior notice, nor any limits as to when evictions may take place and no requirement to provide proposals for alternative accommodation,” the ruling reads.
“The legislation has a legitimate purpose: to ensure that property unlawfully occupied is not substantially damaged, however, this does not justify the lack of safeguards for those in occupation and who are likely to be in need of genuine accommodation.”
It adds that the pro bono legal advice available is not sufficient.
While Ireland is not bound to take action as a result of the ruling, members stats are “expected” to take action to address the violations.
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Oh give me a break,where do they get the new vans,new cars,new caravans,all paid for in cash,I’m going to work and I’m not sure my 13 yr old car is going to get me there
Stop Iorna, you’re not allowed to say that . Travelers are a distinct ethnic group , (White , Irish , Catholic) , which is very rare in Ireland . And frankly i’m sick of the settled community following them around dumping their waste on the on the exact sites the travellers have just left . We could all learn a lot from travelers very progressive outlook on ethnicity , women rights , education , social responsibility
Don’t forget their business acumen
It’s amazing some people will trust their own anecdotal personal experience over a collection of studies that have allowed experts enough evidence to diagnose we are disproportionately treating travellers worse regarding emergency housing than settled people. Ireland has thousands of millionaires, it also has 6000 homeless. Like travellers trying to paint a situation with one brush is Childish & dangerous
@ No 2 FF /No to everything but has no adults solutions. Did you actually say people should trust report over their personal experiences . I mean you actually committed to those words in that order ? So people should subjugate all of their own personal experience and interactions in favor of a report written by a technical group who probably live outside the country ? Its seem childish and dangerous you lack ability to think for yourself based on you own values and experiences and rely on reports to think for you? . You logic also infers that the general public should not be allowed vote since their own judgement that cant be relied upon ? Apologies – my new overlord- im off to see if the eu has a report on how to drink my coffee
Dead right No 2FF/FG/LAB and lots of them live in Rathkeale! Rights for “travellers” ……… ONLY when they respect their RESPONSIBILITIES. Sick and tired of hearing the same old crap trotted out of Pavee point. They are NOT an ethnic group, they are a group who choose to live they way they do at serious cost to the tax paying public, they limit the education of their children by constantly moving and then expecting to walk back into classes all over they country at any time of year and for any length of time.
They need to change, NOT the taxpayers
Tensing…Social Democrat Policy by No 2 FF….though i voted SD….
Dave…lifestyle choices…
@NoFF/FG/LAB, Anecdotal personal experience? What about personal physical and verbal experience. Ever have a traveller try to hit you in the head with a hammer? Ever have your work place raided by a dozen young travellers or even them squaring up to you in an attempt to start a fight? Ever try to highlight to a traveller that a certain action would be fraud only to be called racists? Ever get jumped on by a group of travellers? Ever get abuse hurled at you by a traveller? Dont get me wrong ive had great experiences too but simply looking at the prison population will tell you a lot.
was selling a house in dub a couple of years ago and was offered above the asking price by a traveler who would have the cash for me the next day unfortunetely the deal was blocked by my solicitor as the traveler did`nt have tax papers….
They can sleep in their new Range Rovers. Problem solved
They wouldn’t even have to change in to their pyjamas as they’re wearing them already.
They will probably hand back their tax clearance certs in protest
Comment of the week , or will they allow it ?
Ireland failing to provide safeguards against travellers.
Too Funny, great way to start the week, I assume this is the same UN body claiming there is inherent racism towards travellers in our police force, namely the Gardai. Absolute B@//ox. I was struck by an hilarious story in the indo yesterday, whereby a number of the connaught rugby team traced a stolen laptop to an address in Galway, half the team showed up at the address, followed by the Gardai, not a mention other than The mc donagh family resided there, of course the culprit had no idea the said laptop was stolen. It’s amazing how so few words in an article can speak volumes.
Possession of stolen property regardless of how he got it. He couldve just given it back. Wish i had that back up when my laptop was stolen.
Let me cry a few tears, crocodile ones.
The entitlement culture that so many demand can only last until other peoples’ money runs out. And then what???
Seems like the roma AND the travellers are ganging up against ireland.
Yet Pavee Point(less) will have nothing to do with the Roma gang (that have moved here to culturally enrich us).
Look at rathkeale how can you have that luxury on social welfare ? And who questions them ?
A parallel society….if travellers were a “community”…should not the obscenely wealthy rathkeale traveller entrepeneurs assist their less fortunate cousins with employment opportunities,parking,sites,loans etc?
I live a few miles from Rathkeale and it amazes me what goes on there, some days driving through it and you’d think you were in the UK judging by the reg plates. We dread the months from end of Nov to mid Feb when the 8nflux of expensive cars and caravans arrive, they block streets, park where ever they please, dump rubbish and leave small businesses having to hire staff just to try stop the shoplifting. The driving between Rathkeale and Newcastlewest has to be sen to be believed at this time of the year, they also bring their horses and sulkys on the main road causing danger. Rules just don’t seem to apply to them.
Boo hoo…..get a job, settle down….that will help solve most of their problems
Exactly. They should stop being Travellers.
How come the many Travellers who make a living going up and down the country offering to repair houses can’t turn their hands to repairing their own?
Because they’re smart enough not to have travellers to repair their own houses…
So PC has gone mad…
The government should handle travellers like a boss!
Nobody facing eviction is being protected by Ireland. Why do travellers get this attention above others.
I think the UK have the right idea with their upcoming referendum. Shame we don’t do the same. It’s a joke.
Agree totally. Asserting political soverignty and the perpetual do-gooder lobby industry such as the UN and any number of EU quangos are worth standing up for.
The European Committee of Social Rights is not an EU body. This report has nothing to do with the EU.
That will be another bandwagon for SF to jump on. What’s the betting within the week we’ll have Gerry Adam demanding in the Dail that the government take action on this report.
Oh the humanity! Boss.
When will this country ever get personal responsability. Always everyone else fault. We must get our own homes and pay for everything. Why is it my job to pay for travellars who dont give a damn about anybody or anything wether they own it or not
@leo, you will find that a large number of those in “unauthorised” camps (someone else’s property) would not meet the residency rules for obtaining services from the state. Like DoB, coming over to Ireland and setting up camp near some cousins for the summer does not count as getting benefits from the country, even if you are technically citizens.
Ask not what your government can do for you. You’ll be better off helping your government. At least that way you’ll get something done rather than sitting glumly waiting for handouts.
What about safeguards for the communities they terrorise?
oh poor travellers with their new high spec cars and brand new caravans. why they called travellers when they don’t go anywhere.
” Well, I’m all choked up”
Look travellers destroy everywhere they go for instance 2 that I know of ony on the Moyne rd baldoyle was a lovely place when opened and guess what it was so filthy and wrecked it was shut down completely and the one on the n32 is not much better ,europeen social rights gang put that in your pipe and smoke it
They’ve more rights than the rest of us. It’s a choice to live in a caravan or a house, not this “part of our culture” nonsense when it suits you.
Why also if we live in a world so pro equality, why should we have specific laws for different groups of people should we not have one general law that states people can’t be discriminated against for x, y & z, the hypocrisy of “equality” is laughable nowadays
Do not ALL travellers have a house provided by the state? Or are they looking for parking sites for their wagons as well?Are they being discriminated against by not being given the type or/and size of house/ranch that their race and lifestyle necessitate…what SF call “traveller specific”?
Plenty of empty mansions in Rathkeel.
a traveler family recently moved away from an area where the had been parked for some time leaving behind a heap of rubbish about 4ft high which was cleared away very quickly by the council, this was only one family imagine a group ? there are at present about 12 caravans parked on the curragh and as I was passing last night I noticed about 4 or 5 big fires in the surrounding area but no sign of the fire brigade….
The European social rights committee should be flown to Ballyhaunis immediately and droped in the middle of the town, their next report might be a little different.
They are citizens of this country and should be treated as such!
Exactly! I agree!
Leo
And as such they should pay tax
Citizens: contribute, pay tax, obey laws, pay car insurance, pay road tax, don’t sue any and everyone.
Leo…we should ALL have traveller specific accommodation….id love a few acres to go around my gaff and a few parking spaces for the cousins range rovers when they drop in for a month or two in the summer….
Exactly.
Leo ur an idiot
Then live by the same rules as the ordinary joe soaps of this country do
Yes, they should be given sites that have facilities. Then they should be made pay rent and have a contract agreeing to maintain the site re rubbish etc. Nothing is free for any citizen. People only respect things they pay for themselves.
Citizens pay tax and contribute to society.
I wonder how many travellers voted
In fairness I was pulled in at the side of the road the other day and the gardai stopped and moved me on. It was nothing to do with my ethnic backround or anything….
Just one question who is supposed to foot the bill for these people to have a space as big as two football pitches for all their families with the state of the are facilities. They seem to want everything but not to pay for it, with their big cars etc. why should they get everything free while the settled people have to pay for everything, thats shy there is such a divide.
Don’t know many travellers who drive range rovers, seems like too many people watching the telly.
With regard to citizenship and paying taxes, isn’t that what all the top earners and decent Irish spend their time, effort and money trying to avoid. Doesn’t your high flying consultant prefer cash for their consultations.
Don’t get me wrong if a traveller breaks in to an old person ( or anybody ) home they deserve to be kicked round the place then locked up. Nothing worse than an old person living in fear regardless if whether that is a result of break ins or being unable to afford heating, water or food thanks to cuts and extra taxes imposed on them by fg/ff
Sorry Joe, but this comments section is reserved for the mob of screaming bigots.
Translation…Give me more free stuff ya racist.
hang on a minute. Ireland is ‘failing’ to provide safeguards to many people who find them self homeless. not just travellers.
have your say