TRAVELLER women can decide that their children must be educated, but they do not have the control to ensure that happens, a traveller woman told the Oireachtas Committee on Women's Rights.
Ms Katherine Joyce, a member of the policy committee of the National Traveller Women's Forum, told the committee that however much mothers might want their children educated, they had no control if they were evicted and moved on.
Even when children attended school they are isolated, she said. The curriculum does not reflect the traveller experience or culture. She favoured traveller children attending mainstream classes, rather than being segregated.
Children should not be separated, but learn to understand each other. Rather than having special classes, all children should learn about other communities and about minority groups.
A number of the Oireachtas Committee members, who are also members of local authorities, questioned why the lack of understanding between the settled and travelling community was worsening.
Ms Grainne O'Toole, a member of the Traveller Women's Forum, said the travellers were a minority living in a community structured for settled people. The responses to problems had to be wide ranging and creative.