THE NUMBER of people enumerated as Travellers has increased by 32 per cent since 2006. The 2011 census also reported that 84 per cent now lived in permanent housing.
The Traveller population was 29,573 in 2011, up from 22,435 in the 2006 census.
Director of the Irish Traveller Movement Damien Peelo said this reflected an increase in people “self-identifying” as Travellers rather than an actual rise in the population.
He said the census was still under-representing and the number of Travellers was closer to 36,000.
“Many Travellers have often hidden their identity due to fear of discrimination,” he said.
Only 12 per cent of Travellers now live in caravans or mobile homes, compared to 25 per cent in 2006.
The number of Travellers living in temporary accommodation did, however, increase in a small number of areas, including Limerick city where the number almost doubled.
The census results also showed Irish Travellers had a significantly younger age profile than that of the general population, with three out of four aged 34 or younger.
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