Traveller organisations have urged the public to join them in protesting against the new law which makes trespass a criminal offence for the first time.
A protest will be held in Dublin city centre on May 2nd. It aims to highlight concerns about the law, which was approved by the President last week.
At the annual general meeting of the Irish Traveller Movement (ITM) in Sligo on Thursday, Traveller representatives called on the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, not to make the law operational. The ITM also expressed disappointment that Mr Dempsey had not yet agreed to a meeting despite three requests.
It was pointed out that 1,200 Traveller families were living in unofficial camps awaiting permanent accommodation.
Described by the Government as "an effective mechanism for dealing with large-scale unauthorised encampments", the ITM argues that the new law will allow the authorities to evict Travellers from public land without having to fulfil their responsibilities to provide halting sites or suitable accommodation.
Since a Government task force reported seven years ago, only 111 new units of Traveller-specific accommodation have been provided out of an identified need of 2,200.
The co-ordinator of ITM, Ms Catherine Joyce, said the introduction of the law showed a lack of commitment by the Government to tackling issues facing Travellers. There was a need to identify strategies and define an agenda to take to the next government.
Mr David Joyce of ITM said no decent society could allow the racist treatment of Travellers to persist. Alliances should be made with trade unions and other social partners.
The new law would appeal to "right-wing reactive elements" in society and it was being implemented in a climate where local authorities had failed to meet their responsibilities.
Equality officer Mr Thomas McCann said the introduction of the law showed a lack of commitment by the Government to the social partnership model as there had been no consultation.
"It's not that the structures are not there - we are part of the community and voluntary pillar but we were excluded from participation."
He called on the social partners to challenge the Government on this lack of consultation.
Speakers at the conference asked how the new law could be reconciled with existing legislation, such as that enforcing school attendance.
If Travellers could be moved on like this, how could parents ensure children attended school.