European Commission Reps hear about ongoing difficulties for Travellers and Roma

This week-end (15^th/16^th October) Pavee Point met with European Commission representatives to highlight the ongoing difficult living situations of Travellers and Roma in Ireland.

Ms Lina Papamichalopoulou, Head of Unit, Non-discrimination policies and Roma coordination, DG Justice and Consumers heard about ongoing accommodation crisis for Travellers and ongoing evictions.

Ms Pia Lindholm, Legal officer, Non-discrimination policies and Roma coordination, DG Justice and Consumers also attended a briefing in Pavee Point by Traveller and Roma reps highlighting the issues in health and particularly mental health.

Ms Margaret Tuite, Commission Coordinator for the rights of the child heard about ongoing situations for Traveller children in terms of discrimination and educational issues.

The EC visitors also visited Travellers and Roma living in Dublin seeing living conditions first hand.

In its most recent reports the EC has recommended that Ireland move ahead on EU Member States to address as urgent priorities:

• enforce anti-racism and anti-discrimination legislation

The EC has pointed out that the lack of recognition of the Travellers’ ethnicity does not support the practical enforcement of anti-discrimination legislation.

• prevent evictions

It has called for a ban on all winter evictions.

• Introduce inclusive policy reform in education and accommodation

It has urged the Government to promote access to early childhood education and support transition between the different levels of education36 for Roma and Traveller children, including by targeted actions and closer parental involvement.

• Implemet targeted measures in health and employment

It has stated that mental health is a primary concern for young Travellers (with an extremely high suicide rate) and other minority ethnic groups and targeted initiatives are urgently needed to ensure outreach by mainstream services.

Their report has also highlighted that Ireland does not seem to have targeted any actions to combat antigypsyism in the form of hate speech and hate crime.

The Commission monitors Member State’s efforts in advancing Roma and Traveller inclusion and closely follows-up progress on annual basis. It is done not only the within specific context of the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020 but also within the broader framework of the Europe 2020 process.

From January 2016 onwards, the Commission also has an obligation to report on the implementation and advancing Roma integration under the Council Recommendation on Roma integration measures (adopted in December 2013), which is the first Roma specific legal instrument to which all EU Member States politically committed to.

The Council Recommendation is a broader document than the EU Framework. It covers not only the key policy areas but also horizontal issues such as situation of Roma women, Roma children, empowerment, but also structural issues, such as cooperation with civil society, local authorities, monitoring, funding and transnational cooperation.

This visit is a four day visit and EC reps will also have bilateral meetings with Government reps.