Ms Minnie Connors:

I thank the committee for inviting me back to present a submission on behalf of the Wexford Traveller Development Group. The submission before the committee was difficult and painful to put together but the Wexford group has little confidence that it will make any difference to the lives of Travellers in Ireland. Since speaking in this House in July, many other examples of the worst type of discrimination have occurred around me. A young Traveller family was granted a house after passing Garda vetting but, following objections from local people with the support of local councillors acting on information passed on freely by the council, the decision was overturned and the house was taken back. Only last Monday, my husband brought my children to school early. He was told by a member of the staff that children could only enter the school at 9 a.m., a rule we had never heard of in decades of connection with the same school. In the school playground about 25 children played freely, including children of the staff member. We have been accustomed to such treatment but our children should not be made to suffer the same level of racism and discrimination.

Almost everywhere Travellers go, there are judgments and assumptions made about us. In Ireland's social pecking order, Travellers are given the lowest status. Travellers are viewed by the vast majority of settled people as engaging in anti-social and criminal activity, particularly stealing whenever they have the opportunity. As long as these blatantly unfair assumptions exist, based on ignorance and prejudice, there is little hope of developing social inclusion within our communities.

The stereotyping of Travellers is also the reason so few are employed. This means that Travellers are dependent on the State for social welfare, which reinforces low social status.

Many important questions have to be answered. Why are Traveller mothers encouraged to use Wysoy food supplement for their newborn babies when settled mothers are encouraged to breastfeed? Why, even in death, do people not want to be buried beside members of the Traveller community? Why are Travellers, especially male Travellers, who present for mental health services treated in an off-hand way and asked questions which settled people are never asked, such as whether they are facing any criminal charges? All of these factors contribute to the feelings of hopelessness and isolation which many Travellers experience. As a result of the erosion of Traveller culture due to laws enacted by the Irish State and Travellers being forced to settle, mental health problems, including suicide, have increased greatly. I would not wish to see this horrendous level of pain inflicted on any person, but Travellers live with it every day.

There are positive and negative practices and values in the Traveller community, the settled community, and every other community. Despite this, the Traveller community is blamed for all the ills it experiences to justify the high levels of prejudice heaped upon it. Stigma and myths are taken as fact. When a person is made a scapegoat in a society, many unhealthy social traits are expected of that person. I have been at many Traveller events and I have never experienced any trouble at any of them. Despite this, I have to suffer the consequences of the few instances that have occurred. I do not steal or take what is not mine, yet I am followed around shops and often asked to leave.

One of the recommendations we have presented in our submission, recommendation 1.3, is the vital need to raise awareness of Traveller culture at every level of society. This includes schools, the HSE, mental health services, county councils, any organisation part-funded by the HSE, An Garda Síochána, all Departments and, most important, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. Training for Travellers with regard to the promotion of positive mental health would be beneficial, particularly if groups were established in which members of the Traveller community could work together with members of the settled community, motivated by a common focus and common goals. A model could be developed that celebrates and challenges positive and negative aspects of both communities with a view to greater understanding and inclusivity.

I dream of the day when Traveller culture is honoured and celebrated. This will greatly boost our self-esteem on a bedrock of good mental health. I represent all the Traveller community today, but I especially represent my children in the hope that they will one day be treated with respect and fairness and seen for the unique, beautiful people they are.