Offaly group to lead national Traveller and Roma job support initiative

Offaly Traveller Movement has been announced as the national coordinator of a newly-expanded scheme to help members of the Traveller and Roma community find employment.

It was announced today (Monday) that the Traveller and Roma Local Employment Initiative Pilot Scheme will have eight new local offices established across Offaly, Dublin, Limerick, Longford, Wexford and Waterford.

The new Offaly office is to be established on foot of a successful application to the scheme by the Ballycommon Technology and Training Centre, outside Tullamore.

In addition, the Government announced Offaly Traveller Movement as the national Traveller and Roma Local Employment Initiative coordinator, saying the organisation has "a strong track record in supporting Traveller employment and training initiatives".

Its previous work in this area included delivering Ireland's only Traveller-specific pre-apprenticeship programme in partnership with the Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board.

The new offices and the national coordination role for Offaly Traveller Movement were announced by Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley.

The local employment initiative was established in 2006 (as the ‘Special Initiative for Travellers’) to address the disproportionately high levels of unemployment and underemployment experienced by members of the Traveller community.

The expansion will grow the number of Traveller and Roma Local Employment Initiative offices nationwide from six to fourteen, and will extend supports to eleven counties in total.

"We are more than doubling the number of local offices to support more people in the Traveller and Roma communities to develop skills, access opportunities and secure sustainable employment," said Minister Foley.

"This is part of the clear commitment under the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy II to have employment and training supports that are accessible and responsive to the needs of Traveller and Roma communities.

"I also welcome the appointment of Offaly Traveller Movement as National Coordinator," Minister Foley added.

"The organisation has significant experience in supporting Traveller employment and training initiatives and will play an important role in supporting the delivery of the expanded network."

According to the most recent Census, in 2022, the unemployment rate for Travellers aged 15-65 years was 61%, which is down from 80% in Census 2016.

The unemployment rate for members of the Roma community was 17% in Census 2022, which was the first time this had been recorded.