A recent survey revealed only 25% of the Irish public would accept an LGBTI person into their extended family.

The study was taken to discover Irish people’s attitudes to 12 different groups.

Other groups looked at include Polish people, Eastern Europeans, Muslims, Jews and asylum seekers.

It was also revealed the Irish public would most likely shun Travellers and Roma people from the family.

Only 9% said they would welcome a Traveller marrying into the extended family.

47% said they’d be happy to have a Polish c0-worker, but only 25% would accepted a Traveller in the work place.

People were more likely to avoid Travellers and Roma people than Polish and African people.

1,007 non-Traveller adults were surveyed. Meanwhile 481 Traveller adults were interviewed in 50 different locations to discover Travellers’ attitudes.

Behaviour and Attitudes carried out the survey on behalf of multiple Irish Traveller organizations.

‘I would hear a lot of criticism of gay people’

John Ward spoke in 2016 about being gay and part of the Irish Traveller community.

He explained he felt like an outcast and ashamed of who he was.

Ward continued: ‘I was always afraid to reveal my sexuality as in the Traveling community it isn’t accepted so well.

‘I would hear a lot of criticism of gay people and there were certainly no role models within my family.

‘I heard about one fella who was gay, but his family didn’t want to know because of it.’