Mr. Bernard Joyce:

I wanted to highlight one important point on Traveller accommodation.

There is an issue in terms of response to 999 calls by members of An Garda Síochána calling out to sites. When people are at their most vulnerable and they need protection, there have been cases that have been pointed out to us over many years about the response time, not responding, not getting out and not intervening, and as a result serious situations have unfolded on Traveller sites. The Traveller community needs to feel protected and safe and feel that they are also part of the community. The values that underpin An Garda Síochána are to protect and service and they should protect and serve everybody. I am not saying they are not doing that but that there have been incidents where the response time has been questionably slow. That is an important point to add to the conversation here today.