Travellers next to confront the State?

ON December 9, 2005, High Court damages of €120,000 were awarded against the State to the parents of Lewis O’Carroll, a 15-year-old autistic boy, to compensate for the breach of his right to education and care to date.

The State also agreed to provide an agreed programme of education for Lewis at unquantified expense. Presumably, legal costs in the case, to be borne by the State, will also be substantial.

I was reminded of the O’Carroll case by a recent news report that only 27% of Traveller girls attend any second-level school at all, with only 2% actually sitting the Leaving Cert.

In addition to this huge educational void, many Traveller families live in squalor with very limited access to ‘normal’ domestic facilities. Their general health and life expectancy are considerably worse than the settled community and their job prospects are limited, perhaps non-existent. In effect, they are condemned to relive the deprivation endured by their parents and, if nothing is done, their children will, too.

It can only be a matter of time before the State is sued for failing in its duty to these young Traveller citizens. Then we’ll have the class actions and the tribunals. Compensation and legal bills will undoubtedly rival those currently arising under the Residential Institutions Redress Board.

We’re very sanctimonious about the neglect and abuse in residential homes decades ago when the country was broke and society was much less liberal and enlightened. No such excuses can be offered today and our children will be outraged to hear the stories of what we tolerated in our name and in our time.

Peter Molloy

9 Haddington Park

Glenageary

Co Dublin