Results 81-100 of 1,148 for speaker:Eileen Flynn

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

Eileen Flynn: Would Deputy Cronin like to contribute? She tried to do so this morning.

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

Eileen Flynn: I will give the Deputy an extra 30 seconds.

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

Eileen Flynn: Extra.

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

Eileen Flynn: It is important that I say that when I was running in the elections, I got cross-party support. Many of my supporters were from Sinn Féin, while I was nominated by the Tánaiste, Deputy Micheál Martin. I had a gut feeling that if Deputy Martin got in, that I would get the seat. I believed in him and my father was a big fan of Micheál Martin. We would be sent down to...

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

Eileen Flynn: Mr. Joyce wants to speak for a moment. From the bottom of my heart, I thank Deputy Ó Cuív for all of his hard work. He genuinely wants to do the best with, and not for, our community. I thank all the committee members. Deputy Stanton is also passionate about Traveller equality. Even when representatives of organisations come before us, Deputy Ó Cuív puts it up to...

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

Eileen Flynn: As Mr. Martin Ward said earlier, we are a strong community despite the racism and discrimination, and the fewer opportunities available to us and previous generations. We see that inequality every day. John in the restaurant always asks if I have brought in my family yet. I realised today that I do not have one relation in the room so that if anything happens, no one is related to me. I...

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

Eileen Flynn: I thank Ms Corcoran. I invite Ms O'Donoghue to make her statement.

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

Eileen Flynn: I thank Ms O'Donoghue. Before we call our next speaker, I welcome the young people with us in the Chamber. When we were discussing the day's events with the National Traveller Women's Forum and the other national organisations, including Exchange House Ireland National Travellers Service and Involve, we regarded it as crucial to have young people in the Chamber. All the young people here...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Education Policy: Department of Education (11 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. For me, sitting here, I have written down many statistics and figures that have been thrown out in front of us this morning. I am thinking of my little four-year-old at home who wants to be a doctor. She is in early education. When she grows up she wants to be a doctor, and I hope with all my heart my child has the same equality of opportunities as any...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Education Policy: Department of Education (11 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: It is the lack of implementation. I believe in fairness. I believe we are all in politics for the right reasons and that we work in NGOs for the right reasons. We start off on a good footing and we want better equality of opportunities for all children. However, we genuinely need the political will to implement the things that already exist and we already have. The community is...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Education Policy: Department of Education (11 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I am interested in hearing more about reduced timetables and health assessments. As a member of the education committee, I am aware that there are some children who must be on a reduced timetable because it is better for them and their ability to learn and take in information. However, there are too many Traveller children on reduced timetables, unfortunately. Many parents believe their...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Education Policy: Department of Education (11 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: It is really important that we look at the positives too and I would say that Traveller parents are more aware of reduced timetables, have more information on them and know that they can intervene. It is important to acknowledge that. I hope that when we get the next report, we will see that the figures have dropped. When we talk about children with additional needs or complex needs, that...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Education Policy: Department of Education (11 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: We had a meeting with the Department in November, which was very good. I left it feeling so energised, that the Department was trying its best in respect of equal opportunities for members of the Traveller community in the education system. I have had mothers come up to me in Labre Park halting site to tell me that their child is on a reduced timetable and that Tusla does not have anything...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Education Policy: Department of Education (11 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: The hot meals and the breakfast clubs for children are very much welcomed by the Traveller community. I have a lot of criticism because I can see history keep repeating itself. I know the good work that individuals in the Department of Education and organisations are doing. Again, when that young woman or man reaches the age of 16, what happens? Is that down to poverty? When we were in...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Education Policy: Department of Education (11 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: Before the meeting closes, I want to say that next Thursday, we will be joined by Travellers in the Seanad Chamber for a meeting of this committee. The meeting will cover the subjects scrutinised by this committee, including education, employment, accommodation and health, including mental health. I would love the Departments to look in and see the line-up of speakers that we have - young...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Education Policy: Department of Education (11 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I think we are launching NTRIS on 25 April.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Education Policy: Department of Education (11 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: My stepsister is a youth worker in Exchange House Ireland. She was saying that the Department was in there a few weeks ago with some young children.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Education Policy: Department of Education (11 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: Approximately six months ago I was talking about extra activities for Travellers. A young girl wanted to start Irish dancing, but did not have the money to do it. I asked myself who I could contact to get this child the support to go into Irish dancing. Again, I signposted the mother back to the local community. Can we maybe look at special additional funds for Travellers who want to be...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Education Policy: Department of Education (11 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: At a launch on poverty day last year, I raised the issue of education and the need for more home school liaison teachers. I know the importance of the home school liaison teacher from when I was coming up through school, whether it was getting that bar of chocolate or cup of tea, or having someone you could talk to. It was what really supported me to come through the education system. I...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Mar 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I apologise. I am late due to another commitment this morning. I met Ms Heavey and her team from Community Law and Mediation and people from FLAC a few weeks ago to discuss issues that have an impact on the Traveller community around accommodation and from a justice perspective. This committee is dealing with accommodation, health, including mental health, education and employment at the...