Ms Brigid Quilligan:

I will take a stab at answering some of them and then others can come in. We are in close contact with the Department of Justice and Equality's Traveller policy division on an ongoing basis in the context of the question of Traveller ethnicity. The division is fully aware of our campaign during the past 25 years to have our ethnicity recognised. I am sure those in the division are blue in the face listening to us. We are of the view that there is a blockage somewhere along the line. The division is the liaison between us and the various Ministers. As Mr. Collins stated, we held a conference on ethnicity last September. That conference was supported by the national Traveller monitoring and advisory committee, which comes under the remit of the Department. With the exception of one individual, every Traveller present was in favour of our ethnicity being recognised. The Department is, therefore, fully aware of our position on Traveller ethnicity. We try to work with the Department in a collaborative way and we hope to work with it in an even more collaborative way on the issue of Traveller ethnicity. We seek its support in respect of that matter.

We also liaise with the Garda racial, intercultural and diversity office. The national groups meet representatives from the office once a year and we attend its conference. Again, there is an issue in terms of our being recognised as an ethnic group. We can liaise with the office's liaison officers throughout the country but, again, it is very wishy-washy. For example, one of our members went into the Garda station in Ballyshannon-----