There was an increase of 20% in the number of traveller families living in County Kilkenny last year.
The figures from Kilkenny County Council come as a new report from the ESRI claims 88% of travellers in Ireland are now living in a house rather than a caravan or mobile home.
The report says that education is the key to improving employment for travellers.
Researchers have found that only 8 out of 100 complete their Leaving Cert and they’re 6 times more likely to end up unemployed.
The nomadic lifestyle is no longer seen as a major reason for dropping out, as just 12% live in a caravan or mobile home according to the latest stats.
Locally, Kilkenny Councillors were told this week that the local authority had exceeded its target of delivering 38 traveller units, with 46 delivered last year.
The annual count of traveller families and their accommodation status showed that there were 196 families living in County Kilkenny by the end of 2016.
This is an increase of 20% on the year before, and it’s up 13% since 2013.
The ESRI is suggesting a cultural shift is what’s needed in traveller attitudes to education in order to improve their employment opportunities.
