Mr. Bernard Joyce:

In 2023, there was a €130 million investment. That comes back to my colleague's question of what investment is being allocated to those groups that are under-represented. What supports are being driven in terms of the Traveller community, the formal recognition of which we had to fight tooth and nail for in 2017? That was probably one of the longest running campaigns in the State and people would argue that it was the denial of Traveller ethnicity, rather than formal recognition. As an Irish Traveller, it was never a gift of the State to recognise my ethnicity. My ethnicity was always who I was. I was born a Traveller and will die a Traveller. I want that point to be acknowledged.

On the other steps that are needed, investment, targets and supports have to be put in place. That is, as Mr. Collins said, to right the wrongs of the past and to do what needs to be done; to invest and put that in the right places with the right supports. This will ensure that as we move forward, our community and other communities are central and embedded, are part of that and are supported and enabled to be engaged. Some people will look at our musicians and say they are great musicians but they do not see them as they are - as Irish Travellers. They just see them as musicians and that is part of it. We need to change that story. Other than that, I will revert to the key recommendations we made for members.