About 200 Travellers protested outside the Four Courts in Dublin yesterday over what they described as the "persistent onslaught" on their community. They were supported by William Binchy, professor of law at Trinity College.
The Traveller representatives expressed their anger at last week's acquittal of Mayo farmer Pádraig Nally of the manslaughter of Traveller John Ward after a retrial. The verdict was described as symptomatic of a deepening gulf between Travellers and the rest of society.
Among the slogans on placards held by Travellers yesterday, who had come mainly from Dublin, were "Travellers treated like animals" and "No justice for Travellers in Irish society".
Martin Collins, assistant director of Pavée Point, told those gathered that the acquittal of Mr Nally implied no hurt or wrong had been done to the Ward family. "We are angry and we have every right to be angry but it is important we remain dignified in our opposition . . . and to turn that anger into positive energy to represent the interests of our people."
However, he said there was a wider context to the protest - "the ongoing and persistent onslaught on our community by the institutions of this State".
He cited the introduction of anti-trespass legislation that prohibited overnight camping on public ground and that was used against nomadic and homeless Travellers; the refusal of the Government to recognise Travellers as a distinct ethnic group; the failure of local authorities to deliver on their own Traveller Accommodation Programmes and the removal of the responsibility for hearing discrimination cases against licensed premises from the Equality Authority to the district courts, which had undermined access to this legal remedy for Travellers.
"We as a people have been hurt and damaged by the failure of this State to protect our rights," Mr Collins said.
Dr Binchy said he supported everything Mr Collins had said. "I think every good-thinking person in this country wants a situation were everyone is treated equally and affirmed. There has been a serious deterioration in the situation of Travellers in the past five years."
Green Party TD Ciarán Cuffe told the protest it was important to be there "to express the solidarity of the Green Party with what you are doing here". He told The Irish Times he felt supporting Travellers was not a politically popular thing to do, "but it is so important to be here to support them at such a difficult time".
Among the protesters was Traveller Brigid McDonagh, from Finglas, Dublin, who said everyone she knew was "very, very angry" at the Nally acquittal.
