PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY as being middle-class tend to have a more negative attitude towards Travellers and Roma than working-class people, a new study has found.

Travellers and Roma face more prejudice than any other ethnic group in Ireland.

The new research confirms the prevalence of bias that members of these ethnic communities have long reported experiencing.

The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) examined attitudes towards Travellers and Roma, as well as other ethnic and social groups, through a representative survey of more than 3,000 adults in Ireland that was carried out in the spring of 2023.

Report author Frances McGinnity said that the findings highlight “high levels of both prejudice and disadvantage” experienced by Travellers and Roma in Ireland.  

Participants were asked to rate their ‘comfort level’ with different social groups in various situations on a scale from 1 (‘very uncomfortable’) to 10 (‘very comfortable’), such as how comfortable they would be with a member of a certain group being their neighbour.

As well as Travellers and Roma, the list of ethnicities respondents were asked to ‘rate’ included, Irish, White, Black, EU or Eastern Europe, Ukrainian refugees, Muslim, Indian, Brazilian, Moroccan, Nigerian, or asylum seekers.

The average ‘comfort level’ towards the various groups was between eight and 10, except for Travellers and Roma, which each received an average rating of around 7.1.

Respondents were also less comfortable with the idea of their child being in a romantic relationship with someone from one of those two groups than any of the other ethnicities on the survey.

Mary Brigid Collins, Primary Health Care Co-ordinator at the Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre, said that the findings “show that Travellers and Roma face the highest levels of racism and prejudice of any ethnic group in Ireland” and “further confirm the lived experience of Travellers and Roma”.

“Several previous studies have reflected that negative attitudes and discrimination against Travellers and Roma are widespread and ongoing,” she told The Journal.

“This year, there has been progress made in bringing about policy to tackle racism experienced by Travellers and Roma. What is crucial now is that these policies and key actions, such as teaching Traveller and Roma history and culture in schools and ensuring government staff receive anti-racism training, are implemented.”

Analysing the attitudes of different demographics among the survey participants, the ESRI found that women were more tolerant towards Travellers and Roma than men. Young people (aged 16 to 20) were more tolerant than older age groups.

People who had done some kind of volunteering in the past year were more positive to both Travellers and Roma than those who had not, which, the ESRI said, suggests there is an association between civic engagement and tolerance.

Meanwhile, homeowners were less tolerant than those living in privately rented accommodation or social housing.

The most substantial differences in attitudes were by region. Residents of Dublin and near the border with Northern Ireland were most tolerant of both groups.

People in disadvantaged communities were more comfortable with having Travellers as neighbours than those living in more affluent areas, the ESRI found.

As of the 2022 Census, there were 32,949 Irish Travellers and 16,059 Roma in Ireland, representing 0.6 % and 0.3% of the total population respectively.

In 2021, The Journal’s investigative platform produced an award-winning series of journalism which exposed the uphill battle facing Traveller children in key areas including housing.

In an interview as part of that series, Minister Roderic O’Gorman told The Journal Investigates that there is “no question” that there is ingrained institutional racism against the Traveller community and the State “has failed successive generations of Traveller children”.