Pavee Point, the Travellers' support group, has welcomed a decision of the Central London County Court yesterday that Irish Travellers constitute an ethnic group. The decision follows an action supported by the Commission of Racial Equality on behalf of eight Irish Travellers who were discriminated against in public houses in the London area.
Pavee Point said Travellers were now recognised in British law as an ethnic group and will enjoy the protection of the Race Relations Act. "Romany Gypsies won this recognition a number of years ago, but a question mark remained over the coverage of Irish Travellers by the legislation.
"Finally we are getting recognition of our culture, which has been denied for a long time. It will also give us all more confidence in using the legal process to assert our basic human rights. Too often Travellers have been disillusioned by the law and experienced it being used negatively against us, such as in evictions," said Mr Martin Collins, spokesman for Pavee Point.
Mr Ronnie Fay, director of Pavee Point, congratulated the families taking the case.
"This ruling will be of direct importance for Irish Travellers living in Britain but will also encourage Travellers in Ireland to assert their right to their identity in an increasingly diverse Ireland," he said.