Behind The News: Anti-Roma protests in Waterford

Gaby Muntean moved to Ireland in 2000 with her husband, seeking out a better life. "I left my son with my mother because I didn't speak English and we were illegal. It was very hard in the beginning. We had a few friends here but no family."

Muntean says she wasn’t [legally] able to leave Ireland until 2007 when Romania joined the EU. “Then, I was free to travel and my father brought my son here.” For years, it was impossible for Gaby and her husband to get work. They lived in Cork, then in Newbridge and for 10 years in Kilcock before moving to Sallins where they now live.

“I couldn’t get paid work so I started doing voluntary work for the Roma community here. I did training in cultural mediation and since 2013, I have been paid for my work which makes life much easier.” Her son completed the Leaving Certificate earlier this year and applied to join the Garda but he was too young. “He’s working now and he will re-apply to the Garda and I hope he can join it.”

Muntean is aware of prejudice against Roma people and says that she was “very scared by the protests” and Facebook campaigns against the Roma community in Waterford. “I’m not saying there isn’t any criminality in the Roma community, just like you can’t say there isn’t any in the Irish community, but every bad thing that happens is blamed on the Roma or the Traveller community.”

Speaking of how Roma are associated with begging, she says, “Some Roma people are forced to beg because they can’t read or write or speak English. How else can they maintain themselves? I don’t think it’s a pleasure to be outside on the streets begging, but Roma people aren’t homeless because we live together and protect each other.”

Mantean says that she prefers not to dress in traditional Roma clothing when in public. “I try to blend in with others but at home, I do. I am proud to be a Roma woman and sometimes, I want to show people who I am and that not all Roma people are bad.”

There is an estimated 5,000 Roma living here. They come from all over Eastern Europe – Hungary, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany.

“People ask me why we are outsiders? But we are not allowed into shops and pubs so what can we do? We are very close as a community but we don’t trust authority.” That said, many Roma people have become Irish citizens and have children who are Irish citizens. “There needs to be a better strategy for Roma people in Ireland,” says Muntean.

Siobhan Curran, Roma project co-ordinator at Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre in Dublin, agrees. "The current strategy doesn't have any time- frame, goals or funding mechanisms. The European Commission asked every country in the EU to develop a Roma strategy but Ireland's strategy has been very poor compared to other countries."

Curran says the case where a Roma child was taken from her family in Athlone earlier this year highlighted stereotyping. “Before the DNA test confirmed the child was from that family, there was talk of Roma people being child traffickers. Stereotypes don’t serve us well. There is no justification for ‘hate crime’ against Roma people. Attacks in other European countries have included several murders of Roma people. We don’t want this to be a feature in Ireland.”

Curran adds, “We need legislation to prevent online hate speeches and Facebook hate campaigns, and a strong National Traveller-Roma Integration Strategy on education, employment, healthcare and housing and racism.”