Ms Brigid Quilligan:

I will make one final point in support of Ms Fay's comment on automatic protections. When the office of the Minister of State with responsibility for integration was being established, Travellers, despite being one of the groups that has experienced most discrimination over the years, were not included within the remit of the new office. As many Senators will be aware, the Irish Traveller Movement and other non-governmental organisations made a presentation to the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality last year. The committee's final report, which was published two weeks ago, recommended that Travellers be recognised as an ethnic minority group. The committee's support for our proposal was unanimous.

Members of the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality took the initiative by taking time to visit Travellers on the ground and engaging with all those involved in this issue as part of a thorough consultation on Traveller ethnicity. It was one of the proudest moments of my working life to be able to tell my 91 year old grandfather that elected public representatives had recommended that our people be finally recognised. We are confident that the Government will do so. It has never explained to my community and people, using objective criteria and international standards, the reason it denies Traveller ethnicity. Six years after a United Nations Human Rights Committee issued a strong recommendation under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Government has not made any clear policy statement or commitment on this issue. It has not set a timetable or published draft legislation. Under the universal periodic review, UPR, process, the Minister for Justice and Equality indicated he was giving the matter serious consideration. If the State takes seriously its human rights obligations, the time to act is now because promises do not mean anything until they are implemented. Travellers need stronger protection and recognition.