Mr. Bernard Joyce:

We have had a very good discussion between the Deputies in terms of some of the agencies and ourselves. As non-governmental organisations, NGOs, we are constantly reaching out and working with agencies. We are always seeking to highlight the issues but also to bring forward tangible solutions. In some ways we have been very innovative and creative in doing that. The Yellow Flag programme is an example of that in terms of examining racism within the education system. We have also examined other areas in terms of addressing some of the issues that underpin inequality in Ireland. I would have to bring the discussion back to the historic context of Travellers' segregation, which I would equate to apartheid in South Africa. That was not 100 years ago; that was during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and even today, there are some schools that are still Traveller specific. That should not be accepted in any circumstances.

As Ms Maria Joyce pointed out, and we are of a similar generation, we have found ourselves in segregated schools in the past, in special classes with special resources. The expectations of us during that time were very low in that there was no requirement on us to fufill the whole junior certificate or leaving certificate curriculum. As a father of five children of different ages, I note that today we still see the low expectations of our children today but we also see their confidence being completely diminished when they go school because they find their identity is not acknowledged. They do not feel school is an inclusive, safe environment. They cannot self-identify.

In terms of identifying some of the key areas that we would press, I would say that every child needs to feel valued and important and to have a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction. They need to feel that they are a part of and embedded in society but also that their culture is very important not only to them but to their peers, their teachers and society in general, but unfortunately that is the case now.

That is a fundamental element in terms of the prejudices that exist within wider society. Mr. Collins has pointed out that even before reaching school, many children live in substandard, inhumane conditions, without water, electricity or sanitation. They are in temporary accommodation and yet their mothers and fathers bring their children to school every day because they have belief and want their children to succeed. They want them to have the opportunities they did not have and to do the junior or leaving certificate, but they encounter many barriers and challenges when trying to succeed. What is expected of them remains so low and there is a view that Travellers will not be able to fulfil requirements or achieve different objectives, which stems from the fact that only 167 Travellers have obtained a third level education. On top of that, there have been cuts of 87%. While there are issues such as racism, the cuts were significant, not least on the level of progression through primary and post-primary education, as well as on the level of third level education. Today, 82% of Travellers are unemployed. The situation is at crisis point. In addition, the turnover from primary to post-primary again has been reduced significantly. We are concerned that the strategies, policies, resources and everything else have not progressed in the way that we would like. I am also concerned that there could be a review of the education strategy without Traveller representation. Perhaps there has been such representation but we would need clarification in that regard.

In future, there must be clear, tangible recommendations with clear outcomes for Traveller education, and the inclusion of Traveller culture within the education curriculum is fundamental. We have spoken about the ethnicity status of Travellers being granted in 2017 and the symbolic statement, but that statement must now become meaningful both to our children for the future and to the wider society, given that there still seems to be a lack of understanding of Traveller history and culture. The onus has always been on us to deliver that message but, in future, that message should be delivered not by us but by the curriculum, in which it should be embedded.

I thank the committee members and the Oireachtas for giving us the opportunity to attend today. We look forward to working with the committee and others in future.