DES CURLEY,
Sir, - Congratulations to the Irish Traveller Movement which appears to have succeeded, with the help of Mr Willie O'Dea, in introducing some element of responsibility into the "exclusion of Travellers from pubs" controversy.
There is no doubt that some Travellers, like some settled people, behave badly in pubs. Have publicans ever considered that the discriminatory policy of pubs towards Travellers has created the current situation? Of course, there may occasionally be problems, whether in Westport or elsewhere. However, it is noteworthy that publicans' calls for change tend to put all the emphasis on abolishing of the equality laws, rather than implementing of the existing criminal law, making me wonder about their real agenda.
As regards the charge that Travellers are deliberately exploiting the equality laws to make money, surely publicans have the solution in their own hands. Travellers could not do this if the pubs did not present them with the opportunity to do so by discriminating against them. If they don't discriminate then there cannot be a case against them.
The Department of Justice, supported by your Editorial of August 7th, took exception to the billboard protest by the Citizen Traveller group. You asserted that the Citizen Traveller advertisement, which stated that to be a Traveller in Ireland was a terrible crime, was factually incorrect. I suggest that you re-examine the facts. Unfortunately, the recent experiences of the Ennis Travellers and of the Laurence family from Ballina - and, indeed, the documented cases of countless numbers of travelling families over the years - flatly contradict your confident assertion. - Yours, etc.,
DES CURLEY,
Boyle,
Co Roscommon.