Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 July 2013
548. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the measures he will take to ensure Travellers and Roma are directly involved in the development of Ireland's national Traveller-Roma integration strategy. [36297/13]
View answerMy Department is currently collating reports on progress achieved in relation to Traveller actions which are in the National Traveller/Roma Integration Strategy with a view to updating the strategy. It should be noted that Traveller representatives are active participants on National Committees dealing with policy and, in this way, are involved in the development of policy.
In relation to Roma specifically, my Department has been conducting an exercise, since April, to gather available information from Government Departments and other public bodies who interact directly with Roma in Ireland on projects that are in progress, focusing on the four key integration areas: access to education, employment, housing and healthcare, with a view to identifying Roma specific issues and updating the National Traveller/Roma Integration Strategy. Officials of my Department would be happy to engage with Traveller organisations in this context in the Autumn when this initial research is complete.
