Ms RoseMarie Maughan:

I thank Deputies Ó Cuív and Collins for their expressions of solidarity. I know from their work that they are not just expressions and they are committed to promoting Traveller rights and the implementation of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998. I return to something Mr. Collins raised, namely, the Carrickmines tragedy, when we needlessly lost ten people and an unborn baby due to State failures having left them in inhumane, unsafe conditions. The reality for Travellers today is that it remains a possibility that such a tragedy could happen again, but we must ensure that it never does. The only way in which we can do that is through accountability, and that theme is coming across strongly from all Travellers at this meeting. We need members' support to ensure there will be accountability and our lives will be valid and equal to theirs. It should no longer be acceptable within Irish society, our homeland, for us to be expected to live in inhumane conditions that endanger our lives.

Our statistics speak for themselves. As Ms Kelly noted, we are the most heavily researched and analysed community in the country. We do not need more research or empty promises.

We need action. We need true, active allies by our side, morning, noon and night, even when we are not in the room, otherwise nothing will change and, as Ms Joyce said, we will be back here again with broken hearts and children still living in inhumane conditions, saying the same thing that other Travellers who are now dead, God rest them, said 30 years ago. We cannot continue like this. Irish society has to value us as the humans and equal Irish citizens that we are.

Deputy Ó Cuív alluded to Part 8. I wholeheartedly commend him on his work in acknowledging that Part 8 should be bypassed for Travellers. It is a stain on the nation when local authorities can be heard to say that they will let it go through Part 8 because they know it will never pass. Behind that, young Traveller children are left in inhumane conditions. That has to end.

I agree with Deputy Joan Collins that we need to repeal the trespassing legislation alongside the implementation of Traveller-specific accommodation. We focused on inhumane conditions today and did not focus enough on what has happened to Travellers. As a nomadic people, we cannot travel. Instead, we are punished and criminalised for being nomadic people. That has resulted in a cultural genocide by our State. That must be acknowledged and reversed. The recognition of Traveller ethnicity on 1 March 2017 has to mean something for Traveller children and every Traveller who has lost a key part of their culture and identity. Ireland has to say that enough is enough. We cannot be expected to be resilient for all our lives and never see a day of equality. I want to be equal before I die, like all other Travellers here today, and the committee can help to make that happen.