Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Like Deputy Anne Ferris, I apologise for being late. I was also at a meeting and then had to be in the Seanad Chamber and got delayed. I wanted to attend this meeting. I also commend Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn for putting the issue on the agenda of the committee and thank the delegates for attending.

As a lawyer and someone who has worked on equality legislation, I have always instinctively believed the recognition of Traveller ethnicity is important for legally symbolic reasons to do with equality. I am particularly interested in the last comment made by Ms Fay on the practical reasons for recognition of Traveller ethnicity. That is something we must emphasise because some of the time the argument is made very much in human rights language, something we all appreciate, but there is also an important case to be made on the practical implications. People ask what is the point of it and why one should seek it. That is an important point for the committee to take on board.