Inter-agency Traveller Action Plan

In the FDB Revised Strategy "Strategy into Action 2006-2008" , Action 9 identified the need for Employment Inequalities among Travellers to be addressed.
Inter-agency Traveller Action Plan Template (33.5 KB)

Subsequent to the adoption of the Revised Strategy each County Development Board has now been instructed to begin the process of developing an inter-agency Traveller action plan, which will address health, education, employment and accommodation issues within their local administrative area.

Membership

Chair: Colm O’Neill (Dept. of Social & Family Affairs), Margaret Campbell (Health Service Executive), Patricia Cassells (FÁS), Noreen Colgan (Co-operation Fingal), Pauline Conlon (Dept. of Social & Family Affairs), Catherine Joyce (Blanchardstown Traveller Development Project), Philip Long (FCC), Pauline Mangan (Blanchardstown Area Partnership), Aidan McKeogh (Dept. of Social & Family Affairs), Niamh McTiernan (Finglas/Cabra Partnership), and Hilary Kendlin (FDB). There is a vacancy for Pavee Point representative.

Background

• The need for this action was identified by the Dept. of Social & Family Affairs representative on the FDB (Colm O’Neill) and was originally concerned with addressing the issue of employment inequalities among Traveller men. With the publication of the High Level Working Group (HLWG) Report on Travellers and following an instruction from the Dept. of Environment, Heritage & Local Government it was decided to expand this action to encompass the key areas identified in the HLWG Report.

Outcomes

• The group met on 4 occasions since being established in April 2006 and is working well together. A draft plan is currently being compiled based on existing actions within a number of key stakeholder organisations.

Issues

• Develop an agreed action plan for the delivery of specific services and supports to Travellers residing in Fingal County through an integrated multi-agency approach.

• The specific services and supports include accommodation, education, health, training and employment opportunities, in line with the national strategies in these areas.

• The action plan should also address issues relating to community development among Travellers and issues relating to illegal activities within the Traveller community.

• The action plan should promote consultation and sharing of information among agencies; identify gaps in services and supports and suggest ways to overcome these; and act as a specific focus for Traveller issues within Fingal County.

• The key challenge is to show that by forming this inter-agency group traveller issues are now being dealt with in a more integrated fashion by all organisations.

For further information please contact Fingal Development Board by email or at (01) 890 6233.