Eileen Flynn (Independent)
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It is important that I say that when I was running in the elections, I got cross-party support. Many of my supporters were from Sinn Féin, while I was nominated by the Tánaiste, Deputy Micheál Martin. I had a gut feeling that if Deputy Martin got in, that I would get the seat. I believed in him and my father was a big fan of Micheál Martin. We would be sent down to vote. It is not that way any more. It is strange. People may have the illusion that we do not vote and do not want to vote. My father always voted. I was sent to vote. Back then I had to vote for Fianna Fáil. I had my own political preferences as I got older and learned about policies and so on. It is important to know that we are not eejits. If we were eejits we would not be here. We vote and we value the political system, but we want to be included in it. We have to encourage more Travellers to vote.

As Mr. Martin Ward said earlier, we have always recycled. We talk about recycling now, but it is something Travellers have always done. I was reared in Athy markets, recycling clothes. Daddy and Mammy sold clothes, bric-a-brac, second-hand shoes and books in the market. I remember it was five books for £1 or one book for 20p. That is going back. We have come a long way as a community but by God, we have a longer way to go for equality of opportunity.

It is important when we talk about women's equality that we include Traveller women but we always talk about men at the top. I have never seen a Traveller man or a person of colour being a Minister. It is important that we acknowledge that today, as well as the suicide rates in our community for both men and women.

I have a short closing statement, but perhaps Deputy Ó Cuív would like to add something first. He is welcome.