TRAVELLERS SUPPORT GROUPS AND NETWORK - GALWAY AND TUAM - IRELAND

Galway Travellers Support Group
No. 1 The Plaza
Headford Road
Galway City
091-765390
info@gtsg.ie

Tuam Travellers Education Group
Bru Bhride
Church View
Tuam
Co. Galway
093-25456
tteda@eircom.net


IRISH TRAVELLER MOVEMENT
The Irish Traveller Movement (ITM) is a national network of organisations and individuals working within the Traveller community.

ITM was established in 1990 and now has over seventyTraveller organisations from all parts of Ireland in its membership. The Irish Traveller Movement consists of a partnership between Travellers and settled people committed to seeking full equality for Travellers in Irish society. This partnership is reflected in all of the structures of ITM.

The Irish Traveller Movement was formed to be a national platform, through which Travellers and their organisations are enabled to:

Highlight the issues faced by Travellers and to press for real solutions.
Debate ideas and formulate and promote culturally appropriate initiatives.
Provide those active at a local level with support and solidarity.
Develop alliances at national level.
Challenge the many forms of individual, structural and institutional racism with which Travellers have to deal.
The Irish Traveller Movement has in its membership over 70 Traveller organisations from all parts of the island of Ireland, and has established contact with Irish Traveller groups in Britain.

Membership is open to all those who support the aims and objectives of the movement.

Traveller Organisations
The Report of the Task Force on the Traveller Community observed these features of Traveller organisations:

They are non-governmental and independent of the statutory sector, although many of their activities are funded by the State.
They are organised with a membership of Travellers and settled people seeking to work together as equal partners, but can also be organised with membership made up solely of Travellers. The effective participation of Travellers is the key feature of these organisations.
They have taken an unambiguous supportive position in relation to Traveller issues and to the improvement of the living circumstances and general welfare of Travellers.