On Thursday, 9th October 2025, Traveller and Roma representatives will gather at the Ashling Hotel, Dublin, for the first National Traveller and Roma Forum under the NTRIS II (2024–2028) action plan.
The Forum was created under Action 74 of NTRIS II, building on calls from community organisations for a stronger structure of dialogue and accountability. While the original National Traveller and Roma
Inclusion Strategy (2017–2021) provided a framework, many felt that monitoring and participation needed to go further. This Forum has now given Traveller and Roma communities a national space to engage with the NTRIS II Steering Committee, raising questions about progress and shaping future priorities.
The October gathering will focus on two key areas: how NTRIS II commitments are being delivered at local level, informed by the June 2025 progress report, and the strength of existing Traveller and Roma networks. Discussions also explored how the Forum itself could evolve into a lasting platform for engagement, ensuring that community experiences remain central to national policy.
For those in attendance, the Forum will be about more than reviewing the NTRIS Strategy and its implementation; it is about influence and participating in this strategy. It was built on years of work to ensure that Travellers and Roma are not only present in discussions but actively shaping decisions that affect their lives.
Doors will open at 10:00 a.m. and the Forum will begin at 11:00 a.m., with strong community participation despite limited capacity. Feedback from the day will feed into the ongoing work of the NTRIS II Steering Committee, marking an important step forward in turning policy into practice.
