Conditions have not greatly improved, writes Catherine Joyce, co-ordinator of the Irish Traveller Movement
When I finished school in Navan at the age of 11 it was virtually unheard of that any Travellers went on to second-level education. My parents, having received no formal education themselves, gave me the choice to go on or to leave after I made my Confirmation. I decided to leave, something I have lived to regret ever since.
In 1985, I started a personal development course for young Travellers.
This was the first course of its kind as it looked at promoting Travellers as advocates of Travellers' human rights.
I remember one particular session when we were asked if any of us were discriminated against and none of us responded.
We were then asked if any of us were refused access to anywhere.
We started to tell stories of the experiences that we personally had and the experience of members of our families.
Some had been refused access to shops, buses, laundries, hotels and refused car insurance, others had been refused access to pubs, schools, pool halls and so on.
As I progressed through the course my interest grew in being active in challenging the discrimination and racism faced by Travellers.
I first became employed by the DTEDG, the Dublin Travellers Educational and Development Group, now Pavee Point, there I had the experience of working with Travellers and settled people.
While in Pavee Point, I had a number of different jobs including youth and community work which involved running youth clubs and youth programmes.
During my time in Pavee Point I also got the opportunity to work with RTÉ where I presented a Traveller radio programme called On the Tobir, which is Traveller language for on the road.
This programme was broadcast for three years. In 1991 I received person of the year award, in part, to give recognition to my involvement in the work with Travellers but mostly to highlight a positive image of Travellers as a majority of the media coverage about Travellers at the time was very negative. In 1997, I started work with the Blanchardstown Area Partnership, working with the local Travellers support group.
In my three years there I worked at making sure that Travellers were named and included in the area action plan.
This was to ensure that there were Traveller-specific actions and initiatives developed and also to ensure that Travellers would have access to mainstream initiatives that were being provided by the partnership.
I am now employed, as the co-ordinator of the Irish Traveller Movement (ITM), which is a national representative organisation.
Over 100 local Traveller groups make up the membership of the ITM. The main focus of our work is anti-racist and anti-poverty issues.
The Irish Traveller Movement is particularly active on a number of issues concerning Travellers, including, accommodation, education, and anti-discrimination to name a few.
While there has been improvement in the policy development aspect of our work, very little has progressed for Travellers on the ground with over 1,200 Travellers still living on the side of the road with no access to toilets, water and electricity.
The infant mortality rate for Travellers is three times the national average per 1,000 live births and the life expectancy age for Travellers is 59 years of age.
While Travellers have had improved access to mainstream education there is a long way to go to make our school system one that is anti-racist and intercultural.
Being a mother of three, I would like the best for my children when it comes to education whether this is for Elaine in primary school or Christine who is in her first year in second level.
I would like to think that they can come right through the school system with a positive experience and an education that will allow them to have the opportunity that has been denied to so many Travellers.
If you would like more information on Travellers' issues or on the work of ITM you can contact us at the Irish Traveller Movement 4/5 Eustace Street Dublin 2 or www.itmtravrav.com