Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. From their point of view, there is probably an element of groundhog day to this meeting because they appeared before a previous committee which produced a report. We will produce a report and will definitely endorse what was in the previous committee's report. We need to go further than that. There is no point in a committee repeating what a previous committee said. I would be interested in hearing what the witnesses would like us to include in the report we will produce the end of this process.

Many members of the public are unaware of the difference between nationality and ethnicity, and have not directed their minds to that question. The witnesses are perfectly legitimate in saying that the responsibility for informing the public rests upon the State, and that change will happen if the relevant Minister or Taoiseach makes the appropriate announcement in the Dáil. The witnesses have limited resources, and that fact needs to be communicated to the general public.

Any campaign benefits from canvassing local representatives. A Fianna Fáil representative, Deputy Bobby Aylward, came to me to say that Travellers in Kilkenny had asked him to canvass and campaign on their behalf and lobbied him to try to get their ethnicity recognised. He mentioned it to me and I found it quite effective. It is something witnesses may also think of doing with other representatives.

Why do the witnesses think ethnicity has not been recognised? I am not looking for the retrospective blame of people, but why has the relevant Minister or Taoiseach not made the required statement? My second question has probably been answered in the response to Senator Kelleher. It is important to identify the tangible benefit to Travellers of the recognition of their ethnicity by the State.