Barriers to justice for Irish Travellers: Rediscrimination within the Irish equality system

Morgan-Williams, Samantha

Barriers to justice for Irish Travellers: Rediscrimination within the Irish equality system

Files

Barriers_to_Justice_for_Irish_Travellers_Seeking_to_Challenge_Discrimination.pdf(1.73 MB)

Accepted Version

Date

2022-05

Authors

Morgan-Williams, Samantha

Publisher

Traveller Equality and Justice Project

Abstract

There are significant barriers for Travellers seeking to challenge discrimination experienced in accessing goods and services. In their ESRI report ‘A social Portrait of Travellers’ Watson et al., note that: “A background and history of extreme prejudice and discrimination against Travellers has necessitated their identification as a group to be protected against discrimination under Irish equality legislation.’1 Despite this protected status Travellers report increasing instances of discrimination and internalise this as ‘just the way it is.’2 Ongoing social exclusion and rising instances of discrimination indicate that the equality system and associated legislative framework is not an effective tool through which to address discrimination for Travellers. Furthermore, the manner in which Travellers (and other) victims of discrimination must seek to challenge such acts is discriminatory in and of itself. Although the majority of Travellers experience discrimination in day-to-day life3 due to the inequal structures of the legal system and ability to access legal services, many are excluded from legal service provision and as a result feel unable to challenge discriminatory acts. The barriers currently presented for Travellers result in a proliferating cycle of ‘rediscrimination’ which further entrenches the social exclusion of Travellers within Ireland. The resulting situation is one within which Travellers are marginalised and excluded from all aspects of society including access to services especially legal services. This is problematic as access to justice is a crucial enabling right, which when inaccessible, further deepens social exclusions.

Keywords

Ireland , Travellers , Prejedice , Discrimination , Irish equality legislation

Citation

Morgan-Williams, S. (2022) Barriers to justice for Irish Travellers: Rediscrimination within the Irish equality system. Cork: Traveller Equality and Justice Project.