40% rise in number of Traveller families

THERE are now almost 9,500 Traveller families in the country, up more than 40% since the number of families was first recorded in 2002, new figures have revealed.

The rise has been occurring year on year, from 6,289 in 2002, to a high of 9,470 households which was recorded in November of last year.

Based on the conservative estimate of four people per household that means there are at least 38,000 Travellers in the country.