Hogan heavily criticised over Traveller letter to constituent

Single Incident Alert DateSeptember 27, 2012 Country: Ireland Address: Bonnettstown, Co. Kilkenny General Type: Racist discourse, Discrimination, Equality/Integration Racism and discrimination phenomena: Inter-ethnic
Groups affected / Interested in: Roma & Travelers Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Housing, Anti-discrimination, Anti-racism Hate speech/Racist Discourse Medium: Newspaper
Victims Data
Victims Nationality/Ethnic Origin Irish
Victims Gender Male, Female
Victims Age N/A
Victims Number 9
Fatalities - deaths N/A
Perpetrators Data
Perpetrators Nationality/Ethnic Origin Irish
Perpetrator Gender Male
Perpetrator Age 46-55
Perpetrators Number N/A
Extremist/Organised Group Violence No

Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan has been criticised for a letter he wrote to the constitutents in Bonnettstown, Co. Kilkenny, assuring them a Traveller family would not be moved into their area.. This was in response to constituents' concerns regarding a Traveller family who was supposed to be moving into a house in the respective area. In his letter Minister Hogan assured the constitutents that the family would not be moving into the allocated house. Minister Hogan denied allegations of racism in saying that his actions had "nothing to do with Travellers at all. It’s to do with anti-social behaviour ... I don't feel I should apologise." Fianna Fáil’s spokesman on Community Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív, expressed fears that this incident was potentially damaging to the work that has been done to reach out to Travellers and to improve relations with the settled community.

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