Dr. Rosaleen McDonagh:

Last week I was at a funeral in the midlands. My family and I, who are clean and tidy, behaved with the proper decorum that would be expected going to a funeral. The town had shut down all its pubs, hotels and whatever. We are used to that. However, I needed to use the bathroom. So we stopped and we got out. I needed somebody with me so I was accompanied by a member of my family. I was desperate and held on for a number of hours because I did not want to make a fuss. I went to a particular hotel or pub but they said they were not serving. I said that I do not drink but I offered to buy a lemonade if they would let me use their bathroom. The proprietor said they had been told by the gardaí not to open up and that if they did, they would not help us because of a lack of resources. All I wanted was a bathroom. I did not want to stay in the hostelry. I just needed a bathroom. You kind if think, "Look, we are human, would you just let me use the bathroom and I will be out within five minutes." There were women with me with small children who needed to be changed. There were all sorts of issues - you know yourself. As the Cathaoirleach will know, it was not about the pub and it was not about service.

It was about access to basic human needs. I just felt that here I am as a commissioner, and here I am in middle years, and that kind of nonsense has not stopped. I kind of thought we had progressed or that people would have the good sense to change the optics with regard to how they carry out racism, but no, it is still as blatant as ever.

I want to finish up. I had to go to that particular Garda station. They told everyone to close the pubs. I had to go to the bathroom in the Garda station. What kind of a country are we living in? It can only be in Ireland. There seems to be collusion between neighbours, friends, politicians, teachers and doctors. I am a reasonable person. Most Travellers are very reasonable and very gentle. They understand where you are coming from but then you cannot meet us halfway or do not respect people's basic human rights and you are told, "We are closed today", when there is not a bother. You nearly want to say, "How much money are you going to lose?" but you would not be that rude to say it. That is the world I live in, in Ireland. It does not matter what kind of a Traveller I am, I was not going to get to use that bathroom.