and proofing mechanisms. And while certain progress has being made in data collection particularly by the Central Statistics Office. And the All Ireland Traveller Health Study has been an important baseline document in relation to monitoring progress in the area of health for Travellers. However there have been little positive developments in data collection in any other important policy areas such as education. This almost complete lack of data makes monitoring of the situation of Travellers and Traveller women virtually impossible and significantly impacts on the ability of the state to equality proof any policies or programmes, which affect Travellers. Where data is available, it is not gender disaggregated, making a clear analysis of the position of Traveller women in Ireland, the development of specific provisions for them and monitoring progress extremely difficult. This is particulalry problematic given the dramatic economic changes that Ireland is currently experiencing. Travellers and the Irish education system The history of provision of education to many Travellers in Ireland can be characterised by segregation. With so called special classes (Traveller only) were established, these classes became part of mainstream provision and effectively served as a mechanism for segregation, and while these segregated classes have ceased there has long existed a system of withdrawal of Traveller children from mainstream classes by Traveller resource teachers based on identity and not need. Alongside of this there were a number of Traveller only schools and the introduction of Training Centres over 30 years ago ensured there was also substandard segregated provision for Traveller children of secondary school age and adult. Traveller learners. Refer to the number of Traveller women in TC over the yrs — repeatedly for yrs — no accountability re no progress Currently — Traveller only schools, all but one remains (this last remaining one will also phased out) Also Traveller only training centres are being phased out. Traveller Education Strategy Historically, Travellers was overlooked in education policy and practice in Ireland. It was only with the established of a joint working group by the Department of Education and Science (DES) in 2003, that we say Travellers participating in the formulation of policy in regard to education. The membership of this joint working group comprised of officials from the department of education and science, officials from the social inclusion unit of the (DES) teachers unions, education disadvantage committee, the advisory committee on Traveller education and Traveller repersentives from the National Traveller Women's Forum, Irish Traveller Movement and Payee Point among others. Traveller women played an important role on the joint working group and in the development of the strategy of the 6 reps from the 3 national Traveller organisation 3 were Traveller women, this is reflective of the huge role Traveller women have played in the development of Traveller organisations,