Results 61-80 of 1,157 for speaker:Eileen Flynn

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: It is a striking reminder of the hatred that exists in this country today for Travellers and Roma people, but also for other ethnic minority groups. I will be speaking in my speech later on this evening about the need for good hate-crime legislation. That legilsation is already there; we just need to pass it. I now call on Pa Reilly.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I congratulate Missie Collins. She is an absolutely remarkable woman whom we have all known over the years with Pavee Point. We also know her work and her honesty. We are getting more doctors in the community which is absolutely brilliant. I am looking down at Thomas McCann when I say that. I now call on Maria Joyce, who loves public speaking.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I thank Ms Joyce. Before we move to our next speaker, I welcome all of the politicians here. I especially welcome the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, the leader of the Green Party, who has been a great support to me here in the Houses of the Oireachtas, even when I was looking for the seat, lobbying him and campaigning. I mean that with all my heart. He has been absolutely brilliant. The...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: Oein has kindly agreed he will go first in the next round because it is really important we give politicians and members of the committee the opportunity to come in before lunch. I thank all the politicians here, from Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, the Greens and Labour. I have good relationships on the committee and their hearts are in the right place for change. I see my two colleagues,...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I hope, Senator, by working together we can work on some of those bridges North-South because to the best of my knowledge there is no Traveller organisation in the North, unfortunately, and some of the services that support the Traveller community are not well funded. I call on our Vice Chairperson, who has worked with our community for years. I will then call Senator Ward. The Vice...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: We have the officials in the Gallery as well.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: Deputy Ó Cuív can come back in. Members can come back in, but I would like them to stick to the five minutes because we have lunch at 1 o'clock, which is really important as well for the young people in the Gallery who are bored out of their heads. I now call Senator Ward. When I first came in, I was a little bit prejudiced. I thought: "Jesus, he does not like Travellers." It...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I thank the Senator. Deputy Buckley is going to give out because he is a sitting member of the committee, but we will go to Senator Clonan, whom I have to work with.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I would pick you but for the fact that Senator Clonan would give me a hard time. I am only messing.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: Is it okay with Deputy Buckley if I bring in the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien?

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: The Minister of State is very welcome to the Chamber. If he would like to give an input, he is more than welcome to do so.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: There is.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I thank the Minister of State so much for being here. It means a lot to have the support of having a Minister of State present. It is really important for us. The Minister of State is very supportive. Finally, I will call Deputy Buckley.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: With regard to time, I give members the inch and they take the mile, but I thank the Deputy. Before we round off on session No. 1, I welcome to the Chamber our young students from the Cross and Passion College, Kilcullen, County Kildare. It is always about reaching out to one person in society to change the mind of one person about the stereotypes that exist for our community. I hope that...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I welcome everybody back. As a reminder, the five topics we are covering are: health, including mental health; accommodation; education; employment; and justice. I thank all the ushers in Leinster House for their support today and also the catering staff, especially Julie and John, in making sure everybody had some nice lunch. We say there are so many Johns and Martins in our community....

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I thank Mr. De Bhairdúin. When Oein talks about heritage and culture within our community, we cannot forget about the Traveller Culture and History in Education Bill that he was part of drafting and put hard, dedicated work into. We thank him for that and for all of his hard work over the years at a political level. It is funny because we have Oein talking about culture and...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: That genuinely was not planned. It was great that the Minister could reply after Oein's presentation and we are very grateful for that. The Minister is right in that it is only a starting point for our community and the arts. Keeping Traveller culture is not just about Traveller culture but is about keeping that culture alive. I remember speaking with Oein, and I quote this a great deal,...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I welcome Mr. Martin Collins to the Chamber. He has been an activist for many a year - approximately 40 years. That is not to make him sound old. It is important that we mention his presence here. We are talking about the younger activists coming up, but let us not forget about the people who did it before us. With that, it is a pleasure to introduce Ms RoseMarie Maughan and to give her...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I thank Ms Maughan so much. We will now move on to Martin Ward. Since one or two other people are seeking to contribute, it would be good to give whoever wants to speak the opportunity to do so. We will not put the timer on but if people could stick to six minutes, it would be brilliant. I am not putting any pressure on Mr. Ward and if he goes over the time, it is okay. It is only a...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: Thank you. I would now like to call on Ian McDonagh, a young Traveller activist. I met Ian when he was about 17 and he is still an inspiring young person in our community today, just like Latisha, James and all the other young people we have in our Gallery.