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THE POOR TRACK record of Local Authorities in aiding the Travelling Community proves that Traveller organisations need to remain independent.
That’s the view of representatives from groups that gathered in Dublin today, calling on Environment Minister Phil Hogan to facilitate their continuing independence.
Catherine Joyce, project coordinator of a local Traveller group in Blanchardstown, said that the proposal to align the community development work done by such groups with local government is not in the best interests of people on the ground.
Joyce noted the “poor track record” of local authorities in dealing with the needs of the Travelling community.
She cited one incident last year where it took over four months for asbestos that was dumped at a halting site at Cappagh Field in Finglas to be moved.
“It took them forever to get it moved, despite the well-known dangers in relation to asbestos,” Joyce said, adding she believed it was dumped by an individual or business who had recently carried out renovations on their property.
Joyce stressed that the National Traveller Partnership, a collective that represents a number of organisations, should continue to oversee national funding.
The NTP is calling on the Minister to ensure that the critical work with Travellers continues. We would argue that bringing work with Traveller directly or indirectly under the auspices of local authorises would be a very negative move for Travellers in Ireland.
“We want to see the current situation whereby the Department provides funding to the NTP to disburse amongst the local projects continue. This measure would demonstrate governments commitment to safeguarding Travellers human rights and the protection of local Traveller independent structures,” Joyce said.
The Traveller community represents .6% of the population. Life expectancy within the group is considerably shorter while suicide rates are seven higher than those in the settled community. Joyce noted that unemployment and education issues also impact Travellers to a greater extent.
In 2008, Traveller programmes throughout Ireland received €259,000 from the Local Community Development Programme. This figure dropped to €94,200 last year.
In recent years, the community’s education funding has been cut by 86.6%, their accommodation budget by 85% and health budget by 5.4%. Joyce said it was unfair that Travellers were being disproportionately targeted by cutbacks.
“It absolutely would not be accepted in any other sector of society,” she noted.
As Traveller organisations we don’t have to justify our existence, we don’t have to spell out what we do.
Joyce went on to describe such groups as “a valuable asset to the State”.
She said she was “not so confident” about Hogan taking on board what they said but added: “I do hope that whatever Minister takes over … will take it into serious consideration.”
Fianna Fáil’s Eamon Ó Cuív said that Traveller groups should make sure that Labour knows further cutbacks to the community are “a red line issue” ahead of negotiations on the Programme for Government with Fine Gael once the party’s new leader is elected this week.
Labour TD Robert Dowds said he could not stay for the entire press conference but would study the information packs provided in detail.
In a letter given to Minister Hogan today, the NTP notes how “many local authorities have consistently failed to deliver” in areas such as Traveller accommodation and health.
Martin Collins, NTP Chairperson, noted that “the retention of the local Traveller organisation affords the State and Traveller community an independent voice to represent the interests and needs of the community while at the same time informing policy development and opportunity for collaborative working at a local levels on issues affecting the community in urban and rural settings”.
“Up until now, the NTP received funding from the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government to disburse to the 14 local Traveller projects. These organisations are efficient and effective in ensuring that this funding is directed solely at the Traveller community at local level.”
Michael Taft, research officer with Unite trade union, urged the government to help community development by putting a halt to the proposals to outsource community development and to launch “an authentic inclusive and evidence –based assessment of the needs of the Traveller community”.
“We need a strong, independent, innovative and dynamic Traveller infrastructure.”
Taft said it was “astonishing” that the government were moving forward with aligning the work of Traveller groups with local authorities despite “no evidence of shortcomings in the current system”.
He added that cuts to the community would have “a negative impact on growth”.
Any first year economics student will tell you, if you cut resources to a group that are employment dense…you don’t save money.
Joyce added that the most effective way of achieving positive outcomes for the Traveller community in Irish society is by “resourcing Traveller activity and the active participation of the Traveller community themselves, while continuing to work closely with local authorities to ensure that Travellers benefit from wider local development initiatives, especially those that involve mainstream statutory agencies”.
Joyce welcomed the report due to be published today by Children’s Ombudsman Emily Logan into the removal of two Roma children from their families in Dublin and Westmeath last year.
She said that those affected were “particularly vulnerable”.
I think the Roma children are probably in a situation similar to ourselves: they’re a very vulnerable and excluded group of people.
Joyce added that gardaí and social workers have to take into consideration the repercussions of their actions when making a decision.
“Regardless of how well-meaning it is at the time, those decisions are going to have an impact on the lives of the individuals involved, on the community involved and and on civil society.”
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Safe to say I won’t be playing it again, at least until its transfer back to the Irish government from the current contract holder of Canadian teacher pensions fund.. Hope a syndicate won the jackpot!
@Sean Stevenson: what I don’t get is… before Christmas a guy from the national lottery said “ There is no guarantee that you will win” how many times can you throw a dice and the number 6 will show!? 1 in 10 throws of the dice. So how come they were able to guarantee there would be a winner on Saturday night!!??? Is it fixed?
@Sean Stevenson: agree I’m done too, it should never have been sold
@Brian Kelly: I think if no one matched the 6 numbers on Saturday night, they were going to go to 5 plus the bonus, then 5 etc until someone won.
@Brian Kelly: i think you will find a much larger number of people played. Over period of Covid19 the number of weekly players dropped hence higher odds. The incentive last Saturday that the full €19m would flow down enticed many more players. No conspiracy.
@Brian Kelly: Since it was a must win means that out of all the numbers been purchased, the top prize has to be from one of those numbers like a lucky draw. Thus it was a guranteed win.
@Brian Kelly: they couldn’t guarantee anyone picking the 6 numbers . All ” must be won” meant was that the 19 million was going into winnings, ie not back into the lotto fund( where ever that goes) and that means more money for match 5, 4 etc. The volume of plays probably at least quadrupled for Saturdays game and so that meant the odds of somone.picking the correct 6 was greater. If nobody picked the right six, nobody would have won the 19 million. But they did, lucky yokes.
@Marie Broomfield: if no one picked the 6 numbers, the jackpot €19m would have gone to those who picked 5 plus the bonus number, if no one had that it would go to who had picked 5 numbers and so on.
@Sean Stevenson: i will 100% be playing again
@Brian Kelly: total prize pot on Saturday was just under 28million. Take away the 19 million jackpot that leaves around 9million of prizes based on the sales for the draw. On Wednesday there was approx 1.19 million won. So about 7.5 times more plays on sat then wednesday.
@Brian Kelly: no. It had to be won even if no player had the 6 numbers drawn. Thats why so many played. 5 numbers and the bonus would have it also and to a lesser extent even just 5 may have won it with multiple winners.
So there had to be a winner.
Because so many played last Sat the odds of matching 6 was higher
@Brian O’ Leary: thanks Brian. There may well have been a few who did not understand what more winnings for 5, 4 etc meant alright. Good call!
I would still rather not win and live outside castlebar though
@BORT: whoever won might agree and move to the Carribbean.
@BORT: id say ur the pride of ur community, mr misery
@BORT:
@Brian Murphy: voted two years running
Betting 5 euro on a 100/1 accumulator every weekend and you will be turned down for a loan bet 5 euro on the lotto every week and with over a million to 1 odds is not considered gambling so you can still get a loan
@eoin carroll: Huddersfield Town will always let you down too :(
@eoin carroll: haha I wonder who was refused a loan… Try provident
Stinks to high hell. 1outright winner on the night it’s being given away plus 149 5 plus bonus. Where did all the money go for the last 6 months. And should we be let know how much was spent on last Saturday nights draw. Must have being a lot when their app broke down. ????
They win everything except SAM
Rumours have it that Enda Kenny won it and he is going to supplement his pension with it.
Let me guess, it was won by a syndicate of retired Canadian teachers living in Castlebar?
It’s ALWAYS Castlebar !
Probably swap it for Sam
Great publicity stunt by the lottery with huge buy in by the media, a big hula baloo over the normal amount being offered to win, a capped amount no doubt, why is it capped at all? Laughing all the way to the bank with the amount of extra losers that bought tickets, they’re just laughing at you, they probably had a record number of people playing certainly biggest number in recent years. Laughing at you I tell ya.
One winner,149 5 plus bonus.
Last Wednesday 3 five plus bonus.
Must have been a huge jump in players for the weekend draw.
Just shows your chances when 149 tickets were one off and only one winner.
@John Sleator: I sell the lotto and there was 4 times as many sales in our shop so win win for lotto and winners!
@John Sleator: 1.789 million to one to get the 5 plus bonus……. Crazy that 149 people won it. Very fishy considering its usually low single digits if any that usually wins that prize
I actually thought they had fixed it to win themselves. With the odds so high we were told it is nearly impossible to win.
By doing it this way it does not need to be shared amongst many people.
Why can I not submit my comment
@John Coyle: don’t know why .
Why does it have to be capped?? Why not keep increasing until it is won??? Makes no sense capping a progressive jackpot
The West’s awake , congratulations,bit envious the .
have your say