Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome absolutely what the Senator says. As stated earlier, I would welcome the improvement of data in order that the committee and its members can critically evaluate my work. That is very important. We need to be in possession of improved data.

As for Senator O'Reilly's engagement with the Traveller groups and members of the Traveller community, nothing I have seen has shocked me because I have been engaging with them. I have been on their sites and in their homes, I have gone through all the issues with them, I have spoken to members of the Traveller representative bodies and I have made it crystal clear that my door is open if there are any issues surrounding the implementation of the expert group recommendations or any blockages. I have also had good, thorough engagement in respect of the issues that are there so I am not shocked by anything in that regard. I assure the Senator that I am on the ground with the issues we are trying to resolve.

The Senator mentioned in her contribution one very important thing, namely recruitment of individuals through the Public Appointments Service, ensuring diversity and balance in respect of people from the Traveller community. This shows the wider stakeholder involvement that is required across the Government to resolve the blockages in respect of this issue, not just in my Department.

I will raise that with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. I fully understand the need for that. It is slightly beyond my remit but I would support the Senator on her call because it can only add value. The National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee and the Traveller groups are front and centre of the work I am trying to do here. There will be frustrations, I fully accept that, but we are trying our best to resolve the matter. We are only two or three days past the sixth anniversary of the Carrickmines tragedy which shook this nation. I do not want to see another tragedy like that in the State in my time or after. It reflects the poverty in and vulnerability of communities living in our State and we have to move might and main to resolve that.