Travellers and Roma face most prejudice of any ethnic group in Ireland report

Travellers and Roma face the highest levels of prejudice of any ethnic group in Ireland, according to new research.

The study by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) found people living in affluent areas were less comfortable with having Travellers as neighbours or in a relationship with their child than those living in disadvantaged areas.

Previous ESRI research found the opposite was the case for immigrants.

The report examined the factors associated with attitudes to a range of social, ethnic and religious groups, using a representative survey of 3,008 adults carried out in spring 2023.

It also outlined the socio-economic situation of Travellers and Roma communities based on the latest Census data.

The ESRI research found people were most comfortable having Travellers and Roma in their child’s class in school, less comfortable with having them as neighbours and least comfortable with having them in a relationship with their child.

It found that while positive attitudes to Roma were in some cases associated with positive attitudes to a broader range of ethnic and national groups, this was not the case for Travellers.

Women and young people (aged between 16-20) were more tolerant towards Travellers and Roma than men and older age groups, according to the research.

Those who described themselves as “middle class” were less comfortable with Travellers and Roma than those who described themselves as “working class”.

More educated respondents were generally more comfortable with Travellers and Roma compared to less well-educated respondents, and homeowners were less tolerant of Travellers and Roma than renters or people in social housing.

People who volunteered in the past year were more positive to both Travellers and Roma, which researchers said suggested that civic engagement is associated with tolerance.

The ESRI said the most substantial factor in different attitudes towards the two groups were what region they are in.

Residents of the border region and Dublin were most tolerant of both groups, people living in the West and Midlands were least tolerant of Travellers, whereas people in the South West and Midlands were least tolerant of Roma.

The study notes that Irish Travellers are much less likely to report their health as good or very good (67%) than white Irish (88%) or Roma (86%).

It also pointed out that 3% of Irish Travellers and 26% of Roma aged over 15 had a third-level degree, compared to 34% of the white Irish population.

Report author Frances McGinnity said the findings highlighted “high levels of both prejudice and disadvantage”.

“In some ways, factors associated with higher levels of comfort towards Travellers and Roma are similar to migrant minority groups, for example, having third-level education,” she said.

“Yet people finding it more difficult to make ends meet, those living in social housing and those living in disadvantaged communities are generally more comfortable with Travellers, in contrast to findings for migrant groups, suggesting anti-Traveller racism may be distinct from other forms of prejudice in Ireland.”

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, which was part of the programme behind the ESRI research, said it builds on an Ipsos survey published in June 2023 which reported “disappointing attitudes [amongst the wider population] towards members of the Traveller community and the Roma community”.

“That survey reinforced the need for revised national equality strategies to address the attitudes that give rise to discrimination,” the department said in a statement.

“To this end, the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy II 2024 – 2028 was launched in July 2024. The new ESRI research provides welcome new insight into perspectives and prejudices, and so will greatly assist in the delivery of actions under the strategy.”

Published: 17/12/2024 by Radio NewsHub