Irish Traveller Movement
{{short description|Non-profit organisation}}
{{Infobox organization
|name = Irish Traveller Movement
|logo =
|logo_size = 200px
|purpose = Advocacy,social justice, human rights and education with a focus on the Travelling Community
|type = Non-governmental organisation
|founded = 1990
|location = 4-5 Eustace Street, Temple Bar, Dublin, Ireland
|key_people = Bernard Joyce
|fields = Irish Travellers
|services =
|homepage = {{URL|https://itmtrav.ie/}}
|employees = 12
}}
The Irish Traveller Movement (ITM) is a national organisation for members of the Travelling community and Traveller organisations in Ireland.
History
The Irish Traveller Movement (ITM) was founded in 1990 and incorporated in 1998,{{Cite web|last=Bannon Ward|first=Shaun|date=2019-12-02|title=An Irish Traveller’s path to higher education|url=http://trinitynews.ie/2019/12/an-irish-travellers-path-to-higher-education/|access-date=2020-06-11|website=Trinity News|language=en-GB}} with Catherine Joyce as the founding chairperson.{{cite web |title=Irish Traveller Movement Company Limited By Guarantee |url=https://www.vision-net.ie/Irish-Company-Report/294188?short=false |website=www.vision-net.ie |access-date=17 May 2023}}{{Cite book|last=Kenrick|first=Donald|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/817820579|title=The A to Z of the Gypsies (Romanies).|publisher=Scarecrow Press|year=2007|isbn=1-283-63920-3|location=Maryland|pages=130|oclc=817820579}} The organisation represents 40 local and national Traveller groups from the island of Ireland.{{Cite web|title=What is ITM?|url=https://itmtrav.ie/what-is-itm/|access-date=2020-06-11|website=Irish Travellers Movement|language=en-GB}}
Core Activities
The ITM collects and publishes data and reports relating to living conditions, educational prospects, and other aspects of the lives of Irish Travellers. It advocates for equality for Travellers in all aspects of life, promotes pride in the culture and identity of the Travelling community and promotes and produces evidence based solutions for all issues affecting the Travelling community.
The organisation has partnered with organisations such as St Stephen's Green Trust on programmes such as the Travellers in Prison Initiative.{{Cite web|title=TPI Background|url=https://www.ssgt.ie/tpi-background/|access-date=2020-06-11|website=St Stephens Green Trust|language=en-GB}} It has held initiatives such as Traveller Focus Week from 2004.{{Cite web|last=O'Rourke|first=Aisling|date=4 December 2007|title=Social inclusion the focus of Travellers' Week {{!}} Magill|url=https://magill.ie/archive/social-inclusion-focus-travellers-week|access-date=2020-06-11|website=magill.ie}} ITM was one of the groups which submitted recommendations to a Seanad Committee on the inclusion of Travellers in Irish public life.{{Cite web|last=Barry|first=Aoife|title=A permanent seat in the Seanad should be reserved for Travellers, says new Seanad report|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/traveller-rights-seanad-report-4975961-Jan2020/|access-date=2020-06-11|website=TheJournal.ie|language=en}} During the COVID-19 pandemic, the ITM highlighted the difficulty the Travelling communities have relating to access to clean water, toilets, and the cramped sites on which many families live.{{cite news |last1=Holland |first1=Kitty |title=Traveller realities amid the pandemic: ‘I thought I’d never see a sup from a tap again’ |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/traveller-realities-amid-the-pandemic-i-thought-i-d-never-see-a-sup-from-a-tap-again-1.4261246 |access-date=11 June 2020 |work=The Irish Times |date=25 May 2020 |language=en}}
=Free legal aid=
ITM is one of a number of not-for-profit organisations in Ireland which provide free legal advice to travellers, alongside Mercy Law Resource Centre, Ballymun Community Law Centre, the Immigrant Council of Ireland, the Irish Refugee Council, the Free Legal Advice Centres, and Northside Community Law Centre.{{cite news|last1=Blackwell|first1=Noeline|last2=Donnelly|first2=Larry|date=14 November 2011|title=Negative stereotype overshadows good work of many lawyers|language=en|work=The Irish Times|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/negative-stereotype-overshadows-good-work-of-many-lawyers-1.11356|access-date=25 August 2021}}
=Roma community=
The organisation has also been one of the groups, alongside Pavee Point, who have partnered with organisations and individuals advocating for the Roma community.{{Cite web|last=Hennessy|first=Mark|date=15 November 2013|title=Irish Travellers' leader warns of a direct action campaign to come|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/irish-travellers-leader-warns-of-a-direct-action-campaign-to-come-1.1595479|access-date=2020-06-11|website=The Irish Times|language=en}}
= Traveller Pride Week =
The ITM is the coordinator of the Traveller Pride Week, which hosts the Traveller Pride Awards. It established the awards in 2009.{{Cite web|title=Traveller Pride|url=https://itmtrav.ie/strategic-priorities/anti-racism-interculturalism/traveller-pride/|access-date=2020-06-11|website=Irish Travellers Movement|language=en-GB}} Awards are given out across 7 fields: community, enterprise and employment, sport, education, intersectionality, youth, arts and culture, and music. Past winners have included Laura Angela Collins and Oein DeBhairduin.{{Cite web|title=Inspiring Winners of 9th Traveller Pride Awards Pavee Point|url=https://www.paveepoint.ie/inspiring-winners-of-9th-traveller-pride-awards/|access-date=2020-06-11|language=en-US}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Irish Travellers|state=collapsed}}
Category:1990 establishments in Ireland
Category:Non-profit organisations based in the Republic of Ireland