A report on the travelling community in Co Wexford has found that there is an "overwhelming need" for the education system to "prove its relevance".
It identifies the widespread failure of the education system to retain Traveller children to Leaving Cert or provide them with employable skills.
Housing and accommodation, as well as systemic discrimination in all aspects of their lives, were identified by Travellers themselves as important.
The report, Needs Analysis of Traveller Community in Co Wexford, is written by social policy expert Brian Harvey.
It was commissioned by the Wexford Traveller Interagency Group which works under the auspices of Wexford County Council.
It finds there are 1,508 Travellers in Wexford, across five main locations – New Ross, Enniscorthy, Bunclody, Wexford and Clonroche.
They “could be clearly identified as severely disadvantaged”, compared with the settled population.
“A lack of confidence by Travellers in the education system is entirely rational if 10 years of schooling delivers poor educational outcomes and valueless qualification,” says the report, describing a “generalised sense of non-engagement” among both children and parents.
