I WAS somewhat bemused at the conflicting content of two news items concerning Travellers (April 22).

DOZENS of city centre residents devastated by Cork’s November floods are living in uninsured potential fire-hazards after being “pressurised” to return to their homes.

DOZENS of city centre residents devastated by Cork’s November floods are living in uninsured potential fire-hazards after being “pressurised” to return to their homes.

A MEDIATOR with the Northern Ireland peace process has been engaged to assist in ending the enduring conflict between Travellers and the settled community.

Mediators could be trained to resolve Traveller feuds and family rows, it emerged today.

Since the foundation of the State, this country has been in the relatively stable position of having little or no racial problems, as there was no real immigration.

TRAVELLER families were yesterday branded “extortionists” by a junior minister over their boycott of a €2 million purpose-built accommodation centre in Limerick.

TRAVELLER training centres are the worst thing that ever happened to the Travelling community, it was claimed yesterday.

THERE is currently just one Traveller serving in the entire garda force, it emerged yesterday.

AROUND one-in-four workers would be unhappy to have a Traveller working alongside them, a new survey has found.

FIANNA FÁIL backbench revolts are a little bit like sightings of UFOs. When you go looking for them, you invariably find that they are merely a trick of the light.

TRAVELLER women yesterday threatened to stage protests in Killarney if they fail to get a meeting with local publicans.

A cross-party group of politicians vowed today to bring the debate on Travellers’ rights to the heart of Government.

SECTIONS of the media came under fire from a Travellers’ spokesperson yesterday for giving a ‘sensationalist’ slant to serious acts of violence in the Traveller community.

THE provision of a tap and a toilet is all it will take to call off impending High Court challenges that could cost the taxpayer up to €5 million in legal bills, a solicitor representing Travellers said yesterday.

Carl O’Brien, Political Correspondent

PUBLICANS have promised there will be no nationwide blanket ban on serving Travellers following peace talks aimed at resolving the dispute.