Traveller accommodation has been generally one of the most challenging areas of work for any Traveller organisation in Ireland. Discrimination and prejudice from local communities and landlords, lack of cooperation from local authorities, unspent budget allocations, by-laws targeting the community, and disproportionate homelessness, are just some of many perils that are all too common in the area of Traveller accommodation.
In Kerry, we have been striving to bring about positive changes through positive visibility of Traveller culture and heritage for the local community, engagement with other stakeholders and relevant organisations, policy work, and ongoing development of positive relationship with Kerry Local Authorities. In the last couple of years, all Kerry County Council Housing staff undertook Traveller culture awareness training with KTHCDP and there are plants to expand this to other departments. We have organised workshops on social housing supports and accommodation rights with both other Traveller and tenants’ rights organisations, and Kerry County Council.
We believe that the Traveller community members should have a choice between a high quality Traveller specific accommodation (including both halting site bays and group housing schemes), and mainstream social housing, as well as being facilitated to lead nomadic life style as outlined in the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998.
We also advocate on behalf of families and individuals with all kinds of accommodation issues including homelessness, and this kind of ground work experience and knowledge, together with the input from community representative and volunteers, inform our policy submissions on local, regional, and national levels.
Our community reps, volunteers and staff members participate in the following structures:
- Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee
- LTACC Halting Sites Subcommittee
- KCC Homeless Forum
- Regional Accommodation Working Group Cork & Kerry
- ITM National Traveller Accommodation Working Group
