The Irish Traveller Movement has said the findings of a report published by the Economic and Social Research Institute come as no surprise.

The report concludes that education is key to improving the employment and living circumstances of Travellers.

The report is based on data taken from the 2011 Census.

However, it fails to measure the impact of unprecedented cuts to Traveller education that took place since.

In 2011 all additional educational supports aimed specifically at Travellers were eliminated.

They included the Visiting Teachers for Travellers' posts - which supported Traveller pupils and their families - and additional resource teachers and resource hours for Traveller children.

Specialised training centres for teenage and adult Travellers were also closed down.

The ESRI report, which was funded by the Department of Justice and Equality, finds that prior to 2011 only 8% of Travellers reached their Leaving Certificate year, but the Irish Traveller Movement says research should be focused on the years after 2011, and the impact of those cuts.

It says anecdotal evidence points to a rise in Traveller drop out rates in recent years, and research should be focused on measuring this.