Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The question everyone is asking is why we have not acknowledged Traveller ethnicity. In the context of the work done by the previous committee, of the work of this committee and of the work done outside the Oireachtas, nobody has ever come up with a valid reason. Deputy O'Callaghan touched on my own belief, which I will repeat. I am of the view that there is an institutional prejudice against Travellers within the permanent government. Governments come and go; permanent civil servants stay. It is not beyond reasoning that there is that high-level opposition to recognising Traveller ethnicity. I have not been able to come up with any other rationale or reasoning for it. It is very frustrating.

As Mr. David Joyce said, we do not even need a new legislation. We simply need a Minister for Justice and Equality or the Taoiseach to come in and make a statement. It is a statement that could be made at any time and would probably get the support of the vast majority of Oireachtas Members. One would have to question why that statement has not been made. I just do not understand it.

In response to the question of whether it would give rise to an increase in legal cases, Mr. David Joyce's answer was that, in his opinion, it would not. It is just another reason that has been knocked off the list of possible reasons for it to be denied. For years it was supposed to have been down to cost; it is no longer an issue of cost. It is no longer an issue of increased legal cases. The only reason I can come up with is that there is an institutional racism against Travellers at the highest level in the State. There is even a possibility that in some people's minds if they give that recognition to Traveller ethnicity, then it is almost like an admission of guilt that for the past 40 or 50 years, the State has been engaged in institutional racism against an indigenous section of people. That is the only rational I can come up with.