Call for Traveller Homelessness Task Forces in Cork 

Traveller organisations across Cork are calling for the establishment of a dedicated Task Force in Cork City and County Councils, to “uncover the true extent of homelessness experienced by Travellers”.

The Cork and Kerry Regional Traveller Accommodation Working Group is a collaborative group of six Traveller-led community development organisations in Southwest Ireland: Cork Traveller Visibility Group, Cork Traveller Women’s Network, East Cork Traveller Project, Kerry Travellers Health and Community Development Project, Travellers of North Cork, and West Cork Travellers.

Cork and Kerry RTAWG have jointly called for the establishment of Traveller Homelessness Task Forces in each of the three local authorities across the region, including Cork City and County Councils.

The calls comes ahead of the launch of the group’s position paper ‘Traveller Homelessness: A Hidden Crisis’ on Monday 30 January.

Margarita O'Driscoll, a community health worker with Travellers in North Cork Group said that Travellers “deserve safe homes where families can be secure, children can grow up and fulfil their potential”.

“But right now the scale of Traveller homelessness in Cork and Kerry is far greater than is captured in official statistics… if local authorities are not even acknowledging the true extent of homelessness in our community, the cycle of poverty will never be broken and our children will never know what it means to grow up feeling safe and affirmed,” she said.

John Sullivan from Cork Traveller Visibility Group said that they want to see Task Forces set up to uncover the true extent of homelessness in each local authority area.

“The Task Force would ensure accurate data is collected and an action plan for each area designed and implemented, with the involvement of Traveller organisations,” he said.

Katie Coffey of Kerry Traveller Health and Community Development Project added that the solution is in the hands of local authorities.

“For the sake of our communities wellbeing and health we need them to stop blocking homes for Travellers. We know from experience that where there is political and executive leadership, it translates into secure homes and our community being able to thrive,” she said.

The report to be launched online on Monday 30th of January 2023 at 11am details the causes of Traveller homelessness and how it can be addressed.

You can reserve a spot at the launch event here.