News
Exchange House National Educational Awards 2016
The eight annual Exchange House Educational Achievement Awards took place in The Venue, in Dublin City Council on Friday the 14th October. The Exchange House National Educational Achievement Awards are presented to Travellers who have recently completed the Junior Certificate, Leaving Certificate, GCSE, A-Level examinations or Third Level Courses.
Read more: Exchange House National Educational Awards 2016Budget 2017: A Missed Opportunity
Budget 2017 was announced today, October 11th 2016.
Overall National Traveller MABS welcomes the increased funding for Traveller accommodation and the additional resources that are to be invested in homelessness, healthcare and education. However we are very disappointed that there has not been a targeted approach in tackling both the causes and impacts of homelessness and the failure to date in providing appropriate Traveller specific accommodation.
Read more: Budget 2017: A Missed OpportunityBudget 2017: What It Means for You?
Budget 2017 was announced today, October 11th 2016.
To help you identify how Budget 2017 may impact on you, National Traveller MABS have summarised some of the changes below. Some of the changes come into effect immediately. Others take effect in 2017.
Read more: Budget 2017: What It Means for You?National Traveller MABS - A Year in Review
Our annual report 2015 is now available for you to read. Last year was a big year for us as we celebrated our 10th anniversary along with launching a media campaign to promote youth savings. Please click here to read more.
Statement from National Traveller MABS on the Report of the National Fire Safety initiative for Travellers
National Traveller MABS welcomes the audit into fire safety in Traveller specific accommodation entitled, ‘Report on Programme to Review and Enhance Fire Safety in Local Authority Provided Traveller Accommodation’. Published on September 22nd 2016, the review was carried out by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM).
Read more: Statement from National Traveller MABS on the Report of the National Fire Safety initiative for...The "It Makes Sense Loan"
National Traveller MABS welcomes the government initiative to address the lack of access to affordable loans for social welfare recipients. The "It Makes Sense loans" have been available in 30 credit unions, on a pilot basis but are now being rolled our nationally and will, it is hoped be available in all credit unions in Ireland.
Read more: The "It Makes Sense Loan"National Traveller MABS Pre Budget Submission 2017
The key elements of our 2017 pre-budget submission aim to alleviate the difficulty that Travellers have in securing safe and habitable accommodation. We prioritise three specific areas that we call on the relevant government departments to consider: Traveller Specific Accommodation, Ethnic Recognition and Access to Affordable Savings and Credit To read more on this please click here.
National Traveller MABS Newsletters
Our latest editions of both The Thaire Times and National Traveller MABS Newsletter are now available for you to read. Both these issues are bursting with information as we take you with us on our recent events, campaigns and also the reports that we produced in 2016. Please visit our Facebook and Twitter page for regular updates and fresh news!!
Get Savings Campaign
Travellers, like everyone, need to have access to affordable credit. Affordable loans are an important tool in ensuring that people do not end up in spiralling debt. We at National Traveller MABS are actively encouraging young Travellers to save in our Get Saving Campaign.
Read more: Get Savings CampaignIreland in Breach in Practice and in Legislation of Traveller's Housing, Accommodation and Eviction Rights
The European Committee of Social Rights has found Ireland to be in breachin practice and in legislation of Traveller's housing, accommodation and eviction rights.
Read more: Ireland in Breach in Practice and in Legislation of Traveller's Housing, Accommodation and...National Traveller MABS Key Worker Evaluation Report” Launched to Improve Access to Financial Services for Travellers
A report evaluating a programme aimed at improving Travellers’ access to financial services was launched on Monday, April 25th by the National Traveller Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS).
The Key Worker Programme, saw 35 Primary Health Care Workers in 6 regions of Ireland, promote the use of MABS, the CIS and other finance related service providers in their daily role as Traveller Community Health Care Workers within the community.
Read more: National Traveller MABS Key Worker Evaluation Report” Launched to Improve Access to Financial...National Traveller MABS Key Worker Programme
The National Traveller MABS led Key Worker Programme operates in 6 locations in Ireland. It is comprised of a number of local Key Worker Projects. Each local Key Worker project is managed and run voluntarily by the local Primary Health Care for Traveller Project.
Read more: National Traveller MABS Key Worker ProgrammeJoint Statement for National Traveller Organisations and Local Traveller Projects
National and Local Traveller Organisations suspended our participation within the National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee and Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committees in November 2015.
Read more: Joint Statement for National Traveller Organisations and Local Traveller ProjectsNational Traveller MABS Newsletters
Our latest editions of both The Thaire Times and National Traveller MABS Newsletter are now available for you to read. Both these issues are bursting with information as we take you with us on our recent events, campaigns and also the reports that we produced in 2015. Please visit our Facebook and Twitter page for regular updates and fresh news!!
Rathkeale Travellers Welcome New Credit Union Emergency Loans.
At this time of year many people are looking forward to the festivities, and many more are also worrying about money matters. At an event on Tuesday 1st December in Rathkeale Youth Space about forty men and women heard Yvonne Bogdanovic, Coordinator of Limerick MABS, describe how money worries and not talking about them can lead to ill-health.
Read more: Rathkeale Travellers Welcome New Credit Union Emergency Loans.National Traveller MABS Media Coverage!!
We are delighted with the media coverage that we received following our ten year celebration on September 28th at the Irish Film Centre in Dublin’s Temple Bar.
At the celebration, we highlighted the challenges faced by Travellers in accessing mainstream financial services and showcased what Travellers are doing to overcome this. We called on government to implement a number of measures to tackle financial exclusion amongst low-income groups.
Read more: National Traveller MABS Media Coverage!!Budget 2016
Budget 2016 was announced on 13 October 2015. The main Budget changes that may affect people living in Ireland are set out below.
Read more: Budget 2016Staff at National Traveller MABS laid a wreath at the site of the Carrickmines fire tragedy in memory of the deceased.
Ireland woke up to heart wrenching news on Saturday morning, October 10th, that 10 people, 5 adults and 5 children lost their lives in a fire on Glena muck Halting Site in south Dublin.
Yesterday National Traveller MABS laid a wreath at the site and visited Southside Travellers Action group to offer condolences.
Read more: Staff at National Traveller MABS laid a wreath at the site of the Carrickmines fire tragedy in...‘Three Small Changes’ Campaign Launched to Improve Access to Financial Services for Travellers
The National Traveller MABS campaign aimed at improving Travellers access to financial services was launched on September 28th 2015. The campaign, ‘Three Small Changes’ uses real-life stories to showcase positive steps Travellers and service-providers can take to promote better money management.
Read more: ‘Three Small Changes’ Campaign Launched to Improve Access to Financial Services for Travellers2014 Annual report
The National Traveller MABS Annual report for 2014 was launched on September 28th at the Irish Film Institute.
The report clearly highlights our journey in 2014, detailing the work we undertook. It also lays out our future commitment to addressing the issue of financial exclusion within the Traveller community.
Read more: 2014 Annual reportFindings of “National Traveller MABS Supported Caravan Loan Guarantee Scheme”
The National Traveller MABS Caravan Loan Guarantee Scheme was designed to enable Travellers to access loans at reasonable rates from their local credit union for the upgrade, repair or replacement of a caravan that served as a family home.
Read more: Findings of “National Traveller MABS Supported Caravan Loan Guarantee Scheme”National Traveller MABS Annual Report 2014
National Traveller MABS will be launching our 2014 Annual report on Monday September 28th at the Irish Film Institute in Eustace Street Dublin. Please follow link to view this report. [PDF 1996KB]
The Vincentian Partnerships (VPSJ’s) Minimum Income Standard Calculator Website is Back Online.
The Minimum Income Standard calculator uses the latest 2015 expenditure and income data to calculate the minimum income households in Ireland required to afford a socially acceptable minimum standard of living.
Read more: The Vincentian Partnerships (VPSJ’s) Minimum Income Standard Calculator Website is Back Online.National Traveller MABS Submission on Revised Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy
The Department of Justice is currently revising Ireland's Traveller and Roma inclusion Strategy.
Read more: National Traveller MABS Submission on Revised Traveller and Roma Inclusion StrategyNational Traveller MABS Pre Budget Submission 2016
In this submission we are requesting that the Government not forget the Traveller community in the upcoming budget.
Read more: National Traveller MABS Pre Budget Submission 2016Update on Affordable Credit
National Traveller MABS welcomes the news that the Department of Social Protection is supporting the introduction of "Low Cost Loans" for people at risk of becoming indebted to moneylenders.
Read more: Update on Affordable CreditNational Traveller MABS Newsletters
Our latestest edition of The Thaire Tmes and NTMABS Newsletter is now available for you to read. Please visit our Facbook page for more updates and news!!
One-Parent Family Payment Reforms Update On Changes May 2015
Procedures have been agreed to ensure that all One-parent Family Payment (OFP) recipients who are participating in training or education when their entitlement to the OFP payment ends will be able to complete their course with income support, subject to normal scheme conditions.
Read more: One-Parent Family Payment Reforms Update On Changes May 2015Three Small Changes Programme
National Traveller MABS is a leading advocate for the financial inclusion of Travellers in Ireland.
Read more: Three Small Changes ProgrammeWorried About Debt! Contact MABS
The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) is concerned that there is an increasing number of people in debt attending court who have no legal representative to support them. Many have never had any dealings with the legal process, are intimidated by it and are often fearful and confused.
Read more: Worried About Debt! Contact MABS