Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair and members for their engagement. Deputies Joan Collins and Ellis made a point about the importance of accommodation when addressing stability and security for Traveller families all over the country, living in low quality accommodation, whether social or private housing. It creates significant instability for them and their children and impacts on all other elements of life. I take the Deputies' point about accommodation and monitoring. They have my commitment that we will engage with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage about the measures it is undertaking to improve housing for Travellers.

Deputy Stanton might have seen that I recently launched the Traveller participation framework. We had a group of Traveller children from youth services in Government Buildings. We had fun at the fountain that day. They were delighted to be in Government Buildings and to see the Taoiseach's office from where we were. We support the participation and the voice of young Traveller people, especially in existing participation frameworks such as Comhairle na nÓg, so that their voices can be heard. Another outcome is the Traveller participation and leadership strategy, which is funded by my Department. It identifies young leaders within the Traveller community and supports their personal development so that they can continue to develop as leaders of the community. UBU Your Place Your Space is a central targeted funding mechanism for youth services in my Department. It has initiated a number of Traveller-specific services. A Roma-specific service recently opened in Roscommon. We secured a €5 million increase in overall funding for youth services. I hope that some of that will benefit the Traveller and Roma communities.

I apologise. I have to run.