Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Good morning everybody. As Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, it is my privilege to welcome everybody to the Chamber of Seanad Éireann. I officially and formally welcome members of the Joint Committee on Key Issues Affecting the Traveller Community (2023) and I thank the representatives of the Traveller community for participating today. I welcome my colleagues from Seanad Éireann and thank them for being here today, namely, Senators O'Hara and O'Sullivan, and of course our good friend, Senator Flynn.

As Cathaoirleach of the Seanad, I am delighted to be here to begin this meeting. I thank Leo Bollins and all of the team in the secretariat for the work they have done to prepare for today. The theme of today's meeting is "Give Travellers the Floor" and it is highly appropriate to have it in the Houses of the Oireachtas, that is, in the people's house. The title of the meeting gives us an opportunity to listen to representatives of the Traveller community who will lead the debate. I will not take up much time but it is an historic and important occasion and it is appropriate and fitting we have this meeting in the Chamber of the Seanad, which is the Upper House of the Oireachtas. It is an important debate and one I hope will resonate beyond the Chamber today.

Seanad Éireann is a House of our national Parliament that for a long time has allowed public representatives from diverse backgrounds to raise issues which impact upon their communities. We are fortunate to have among us Senator Flynn who, as a Senator from a Traveller background, brings an insight on a wide range of issues to this debate, but in particular around policies which affect the Traveller community. She is a person we have become friends with. We listen to her. We watch as she advocates. She is a true champion and our House is a better place by her inclusion in it. We salute and thank you, Eileen. Míle buíochas.

Therefore today in the Seanad Chamber, we will listen to and hear a diverse range of voices. I am aware the previous Joint Committee on Key Issues Affecting the Traveller Community published its final report in November 2021. I am also aware of the considerable work undertaken by this committee, under Senator Flynn's leadership, to monitor the implementation of the report and to place the needs and wishes of the Traveller community at the centre of its work. I wish the committee the best in its endeavour and in the remainder of its work.

More important, I acknowledge the work undertaken by the community representatives who are with us today. Those who work with the communities on the ground in a variety of ways and who seek to advance the rights of the Traveller people are often the unsung heroes in our society. I know from my own city of Cork, where I served on the committee, that the women, in particular, have been strong leaders and voices in the community for effecting change. I am pleased that today the representatives in this Chamber will have the opportunity to speak and to share their experience of living in Ireland, although I also appreciate some of them may be accidental advocates of a sort. While some of the community representatives may perhaps not want to speak today, it is their opportunity to be here and participate and I hope they take that on board.

Difficulties in accessing services or experiences of discrimination are running through your community but I encourage you to be a voice and to be an advocate on your own behalf and on behalf of all of us today and in the future.

I commend the community representatives on being here, on your work and on your willingness to share your insights at this very historic and special meeting of the Joint Committee on Key Issues Affecting the Traveller Community (2023).

Before I hand over to Senator Flynn I welcome students from Newtownforbes National School, County Longford, who are here today. You are all very welcome. Have a nice visit to Leinster House.

In handing over to the committee chairperson, I congratulate Senator Eileen Flynn for her Trojan work and her advocacy. I wish you all a very happy and positive deliberation today.