Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are coming to the close of this session. Dr. Hogan posed a question for us. I suppose what we are doing - members may support me in this view - is shining a light on the issues. We are not here to take on the Government. We will present our report, which we hope to conclude in two or three weeks, to the Government following the work we are doing and the witnesses' submissions. We hope the Government will take cognisance of the views expressed and that when it responds, some of the work we have done will be helpful to it. That is the tenet of our work, namely, to shine a light. When we issue our report, it will be sent to Government and it will be helpful rather than confrontational. I thank Dr. Hogan. If he wishes to stay for the next session, he is quite welcome to do so.

We will now move on to the next session in our public hearing. I welcome Ms Brigid Quilligan and Ms Susan Fay from the Irish Traveller Movement. We will allow ten minutes for their submission. We have already received their written submission, which has been studied and dealt with. It is just a question of highlighting the issues they would like to emphasise and synopsise for the committee so we can move them forward. There will be questions and answers following the submission.