Mr. Martin Collins:

As Deputy Ó Cuív was speaking, I was reminded of how it becomes a kind of self-fulfilling prophesy. This culture of low expectations has to a degree been internalised certainly by a significant number of Travellers who feel not good enough, that education is not for them, or that they cannot become a garda or a doctor. That is gradually eroding thankfully. Much of that low expectation of oneself has been internalised, which is not totally surprising after decades if not centuries of oppression and negative messaging, sometimes in very explicit ways and sometimes in very implicit ways that someone is not good enough. When picking up that message from cradle to grave, some people internalise it. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy and it becomes intergenerational with people passing it on to their children leading to a vicious cycle. The challenge is breaking that culture of low expectation within the system, in the institutions, in the schools and in the community.

The people best placed to break that internalised inferiority complex are Traveller organisations. We do a lot of work on cultural identity, self-esteem and confidence. However, we need the funding and resources to do that important work, to instil pride, confidence and a sense of belief that they can accomplish. We have seen it with other ethnic groups in other parts of the globe. I travel quite a bit in Europe. I see it in Spain and in Georgia with Roma and other indigenous groups where they have succeeded. I am not saying everything is perfect or a panacea, but they have certainly made much more progress than we have.