Published: 14 April 2020
From: Department of Children and Youth Affairs
- 3,080 Travellers and 688 Roma attended an Early Years Service in 2017/2018
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr Katherine Zappone, has today published a report by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs on young Travellers. The report is the fourth in the series of Statistical Spotlights, drawing together data from sources including the CSO’s Census of Population, the Department of Education and Skills, the All Ireland Traveller Health Survey, Pobal, the Health Behaviour in School Aged Children Survey, and the OECD PISA survey.
The report focuses on children and young persons who are members of the Traveller community, on topics such as health, housing, education and economic status. The Spotlight also contains a small amount of information on young Roma. It contains data on a number of areas including:
- The number of Young Travellers and the locations where they live;
- Fertility rate and number of births;
- Health status, disability status;
- Education levels of mothers;
- Pre-school and education from early years through to third level;
- Accommodation type and numbers in emergency accommodation;
- Labour force status; and
- Travellers as carers.
Some of the key findings of the report show that an estimated 3,080 Travellers and 688 Roma attending an Early Years Service in 2017/2018. Overall there were more than 18,000 young Travellers in Ireland, making up 1.15% of the total population aged 0 – 24 in 2016. There were more than 8,600 young Travellers under 10 years of age, almost 6,700 under 20 and 2,600 aged 20 – 24.
Welcoming the report Minister Zappone said:“This report will be a valuable resource, providing vital insights and information for policy-makers on children and young people who are members of the Traveller community in Ireland.”
