Mr. T.J. Hogan:

I want to pick up on what the members have said. The older generation of Travellers were seen to be uneducated because they do not have a piece of paper. A great model is being used in third level institutions at the moment - recognition of prior learning, RPL. We need something like that within employment so that Travellers can go for jobs based on their experience, such as within the horse industry. Travellers are one of the most skilled minorities in this country and with the knowledge they have particularly around horses, they could contribute in a very beneficial way to the horse industry both professionally and for leisure.

The community employment, CE, scheme is not working for Travellers. They give employment and provide resources for training, but the time runs out and Travellers end up seeking social welfare again because they are unemployed. We need to have resources put in place, not just resources in terms of time but also in education and training. That needs to be provided for Travellers within the CE scheme. It also needs to lead to employment. We need to support those individuals gain access to employment or even setting up employment within house. We have a lot of community development workers. Many good people on CE schemes would be great for the organisations they are currently in, but unfortunately their time runs out, they go home and the opportunity is lost.

There is considerable emphasis on the social enterprise stuff.

The lads in Galway are doing it right. I know the same crowd. There needs, however, to be an individual approach and not one that is one size fits all. In social enterprise, if a policy is developed targeting Travellers, then Travellers should have access to be able to put themselves forward with their own ideas. That would be really good.