Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair and welcome the witnesses. At this stage, there is very little new to be said. Unfortunately, at all these meetings there is very little new to be said. The same issues keep coming up. Many good points have been made by colleagues. I do not propose to go through them all one by one, but I will say a few quick things. It is important, as this is a public meeting, that we all indicate support strongly and there is no ambiguity around that. It seems a good idea - I take the point that Mr. Collins wants the trailer loan scheme to remain for those who wish to avail of it, but it seems logical, as my colleague says, that there would be a differential rent scheme for the trailers in the same way as there is for social housing.

In fact, it would seem absolutely discriminatory and wrong that that would not be the case. I go with that.

The issues around social protection should be brought to the attention of the Minister and the officials in the Department. There are probably anomalies there. One would like to believe that the officials did not get up one morning and decide that the Traveller community would not get the benefits. The anomalies that are preventing them from doing so should be ironed out. I am sure that if the witnesses sought meetings with the senior officials in the Department initially, or the Minister, it should be manageable. There should be no issue if methodology needs to be changed.

In relation to MABS, as Deputy Collins said, the credit unions are the obvious vehicle. There are fewer banks now. As my colleague said, they are becoming mechanised and they are not even that available to consumers. Retail banking is going down a lot. Perhaps the credit unions are more accessible. The services provided by MABS is good. I know it is not unique to the Traveller community or any specific grouping, but there is a shocking problem with illegal money lending and the people who call to collect money each week. I saw it in my own area after the recession. It is not a problem that is unique to the Traveller community, but if there is not proper banking it is a real risk, at this time of year specifically.

I agree with the point that was made that the county and city development plans need to have zoned land to get over the issue of not having zoned land. The point about putting the housing development plans on hold until after the local and European elections is an interesting one. As the Chair said, it is bleak that it should be the case, but it is the case. I do not know how we would co-ordinate that access to the Departments, but there is no question that it needs doing.

Before the witnesses respond, I should say that it is a horror to provide any politician of any party, from either House of the Oireachtas or from any council, with a platform for racism. There is a real risk that the local elections would be an obvious time for that. I take that point. I do not know how the hate speech legislation will deal with racism in that sphere. It has not been passed yet, as Senator Flynn knows. It would not really deal with challenging a particular development, needless to say. There is no merit in going on, other than to leave no ambiguity that we are all of one voice. Some great suggestions have been made.