ABSTRACT
Three decades after the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in Ireland (1989), and after numerous European and national reports and recommendations, Traveller children’s rights continue to be routinely neglected and violated in Ireland. When Traveller children are born, they face considerable challenges to have their rights upheld and to reach their full potential. In the case of Travellers, the added layer of racism and discrimination at institutional and individual levels inhibits and complicates policy implementation, budget allocation and robust action to address exclusion. This chapter outlines the rights and needs of Traveller children concerning accommodation, early childhood education and care and education, and health, including a focus on institutional and structural discrimination. The chapter provides a critique of current policy developments, including a discussion on the lack of understanding of Traveller ethnicity within provision. A central and recurring problem with policy is the lack of implementation and monitoring. The voices of Traveller Elders will illuminate the discussion.
