Prime time: travellers on the edge

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BoscoTalking

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On the edge of the law more like. I don't know how you guys felt, I was also at the bravery of the Garda to face up to the leader of a hundred or more fighting enthusiasts to lay down the law that the rest of us have to abide by. what a waste of gardai time to follow them all over the country.
 
I wouldn't be very pro traveller anyway and the programme didn't change my mind. I still think the word traveller doesn't quite describe their lifestyle anymore.
 
I think the question should be put back:

You want equal rights, health care, education etc., but you dont want to live in a house or even stay in one place. How do you propose the state should look after you?

In fairness I think well serviced halting sites adjacent to main roads are the way to go. Not ideal but there'll never be an ideal.

A lot of problems they have to sort out for themselves as they are particular travellers issues - e.g.clan fighting, early arranged marriages, marrying cousins & the genetic illness problems, dumping etc. etc. The law will of course have to intervene to protect the rights of all citizens (traveller & non traveller), but the ultimate solutions can only come from within (if there's the will.......).

Then there's the regular societal problems they have to deal with (which I wont even list as people would think I'm saying travellers have more pronounced levels of same - which I dont know for a fact).
 
I am not sure if the programme was bias - I only saw a fraction of it. Brian Cowan's brother had a tough time and i felt that he was well aware of the situation and reasoning behind the council's decision but was not going into it on air.
 
I think that whatever way the travellers want to live their lives is their own business and doesn't concern the rest of us (the buffers) in the slightest. They are entitled to their culture, their flag and their lifestyle, even where that lifestyle involves beating the heads off each other.
It would only be of concern to us if we were picking up the tab. As long as "Traveller Nation" is able to raise enough taxes from its citizens to pay for the maintenance of that culture and lifestyle, then we need to butt out. Live and let live, I say.
 
Lollix said:
I think that whatever way the travellers want to live their lives is their own business and doesn't concern the rest of us (the buffers) in the slightest. They are entitled to their culture, their flag and their lifestyle, even where that lifestyle involves beating the heads off each other.
It would only be of concern to us if we were picking up the tab. As long as "Traveller Nation" is able to raise enough taxes from its citizens to pay for the maintenance of that culture and lifestyle, then we need to butt out. Live and let live, I say.
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Culture is one thing, but when culture is used as a way of getting away with things it is obvious that there is no real weight to their claims. Their lifestyle and 'culture' involve illegally parking their homes wherever they see fit and that isn't allowed for anyone in this country. i have no problems with them being provided with halting sites as long as they are made to keep them in a reasonable manner. We cannot and should not butt out until we are happy that travellers are aware that they must also operate within the laws of the state.
 
I have to say it was good to see some travellers trying to improve their lot, the illiterate brother and sister going to adult learning classes to learn to read and write for example. It was also interesting to listen to the mother of the girl who was getting married and her views on her daughters marriage and how she'd be returning to a lifestyle that she(the mother) had escaped from. Also the barrister with the traveller background impressed me.

Having said that, the bulk of the programme was scary. The site of travellers turning up at a GAA car park for a fight, when there was an under 10 match on at the pitch was unreal. Full marks to the guard in question, many people(including myself) have criticised public servants in the past for wasting money, but if there was a bonus system for guards he deserved it

What really depressed me was the attitude of a lot of travellers, that their rights had priority over everything else. Rights bring responsibilities and unfortunatly, I was left with the impression that a lot of travellers don't seem to be interested in taking responsibility for their lives and lifestyles and instead expect the rest of us to put up with their "culture". In fairness, they're not the only group in Irish society that think like that, drunk drivers, teenage yobs and benefit fraudsters spring to mind as well.

All I can say is good luck to those in the traveller community that are trying to better themselves and set a positive example to the rest. They need support
 
All I can say is good luck to those in the traveller community that are trying to better themselves and set a positive example to the rest. They need support
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i agree that any person traveller or not should be helped to better their circumstances, but travellers rights should be dealt with like everyone else they shouldn't get any special treatment.
 
The problem I have is that travellers expect everyone else to pick up the tab for their lifestyle.

We shouldnt be obliged to provide haulting sites. Why cant they themselves set up a network of caravan parks across the country with all the necessary services & conforming to all H&S legislation. Some of them could get go into business doing this with the remainder paying rent to use them.
 
I have to say I was impressed with the program (I didn't see part 1 unfortunately) and it has tempered my attitude towards travellers. I agree with most of the sentiments (predominantly negative) expressed in the other posts but now try not to collectively group all travellers as having the same attitudes.

This programme showed a number of travellers who were interested in living satisfying and productive lives and I have great admiration for ANYONE who returns to education, especially from such a low standard (couldn't read or write).

From here on in I will try not to tar them all with the same brush just because of our perceptions which are not based on the whole community. Indeed we saw the thugs in the traveller community as well, just as we have them in the settled community also.....what about the teenagers that shot the 51 year old man in East Wall this week?
 
what about the teenagers that shot the 51 year old man in East Wall this week?
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hopefully they will be brought to justice, crime happens in all areas of society and we should come down hard on all criminals be they thugs, tax evaders or thieves.
 
csirl said:
The problem I have is that travellers expect everyone else to pick up the tab for their lifestyle.

We shouldnt be obliged to provide haulting sites. Why cant they themselves set up a network of caravan parks across the country with all the necessary services & conforming to all H&S legislation. Some of them could get go into business doing this with the remainder paying rent to use them.
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But if you really think about it, we taxpayers do pay for the infrastructure for housing estates, apartment buildings etc in order to facilitate Developers to build them (and make profit). In the form of roads, mainline sewage systems, provision of electric and 'phone services.
 
gillarosa said:
But if you really think about it, we taxpayers do pay for the infrastructure for housing estates, apartment buildings etc in order to facilitate Developers to build them (and make profit). In the form of roads, mainline sewage systems, provision of electric and 'phone services.
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Are all they not development levies for roads and sewage connection.

Phone and electric connection is paid for at commercial rates.
 
gillarosa said:
But if you really think about it, we taxpayers do pay for the infrastructure for housing estates, apartment buildings etc in order to facilitate Developers to build them (and make profit). In the form of roads, mainline sewage systems, provision of electric and 'phone services.
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the builders levies cover alot of the expense, but i see what you are saying, I would prefer to pay for halting sites than see public property defaced and dumped upon.
 
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