M50 Roma Emcampment Ireland

Up to 99 Roma from Romania were camped on Ireland's M50 at a roundabout and a nearby derelict house.

Lately they were deported from Ireland, by order of immigration minister Conor Lenihan.

Controversy

The Roma claimed conditions at the camp were better than at home, to which the Romanian Ambassador went on the record to tell of some selling houses to come to Ireland, and the fact that itr was well publicised that Ireland did not allow free labour access or social welfare access to Romanian and Bulgarian nationals.

The ambassador went to claim at least one was guilty of murder and 22 others had criminal convitions.

The Roma themselves were not in a position to defend themselves.

A claim they could not get work at home, was met with a declaration from the manager of the local shoe factory that he would give work to all that returned, as he cannot get or keep workers.

Conditions in his factory were not investigated, as this is rare in a nation with such high unemployment among all sections of society.

Pavee Point

The Irish Traveller pressure group Pavee Point has been advising the Roma, and are under pressure for urging some members to fight the deportation.

The Reaction back home

The mayor of the town from where they are from has condemned them, and brought some of the press to show them the town and the Roma Special School that is newly constructed.

Irish Press Reaction

Predictably, the Irish press has reported on the sensationalist angle, as is common with the press worldwide when it comes to Roma. The Irish Star on Sunday however went to the bother of interviewing Roma in the village where these were from, and some confirmed the mayor's and ambassador's claims.

References

* http://www.irishexaminer.com/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=ireland-qqqm=ireland-qqqa=ireland-qqqid=37975-qqqx=1.asp

* http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055124614

* http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebaz/871940415/