Ms Louise Harrington:

I wish to make a couple of comments to Senators who asked what a more positive media environment might look like. Communication around culture can also be done with partners such as museums and other cultural institutions. Our submission includes some examples of how that might work. This allows another actor to validate and support. Regarding the media, we mentioned the fact that the national Traveller and Roma integration strategy recommends a targeted Traveller and Roma communication initiative. It is really needed, because at the moment public perception is at the mercy of the approach taken by individual journalists. There must be some kind of sanction system, whether through hate speech legislation or another model. The committee heard the examples Ms Carmody read out. People are basically inciting murder against Travellers. We can do nothing except report, report and report.

We also need a platform for Travellers to come together with media people and set standards. We need training for Traveller projects, to allow people to learn more about how the media works, and we definitely need training for journalists and media.

The citizen Traveller campaign was run several years ago. That was a big national communication strategy highlighting the many positives. It gave visibility. I recently spoke to one of my colleagues, a Traveller woman who has been an actress for many years. She spoke about how it made a profound impression on her as a young woman to see that positive visibility around identity and culture. Our approach must involve partnership, some kind of sanction mechanism and standards.