Why Candidates play the Traveller card

In spite of a pre-election pledge, candidates for the local elections know they can win votes by opposing Traveller accommodation, writes Michael Brennan.

An unofficial halting site in Tullamore, Co Offaly. Picture: James Flynn/APX

Opposing Traveller accommodation is a tried-and-tested Irish political tactic, which often helps in getting the candidate elected.

This time round, all the political parties signed up to a document outside the Dail pledging that their candidates in the upcoming local and European elections would not engage in racist campaigning. But it did not take long for that election promise to come under scrutiny.

Already, one young Fine Gael councillor has had to apologise ...