Dr. Sindy Joyce:

I want to comment on something Professor Haynes said. Systemic racism exists across our criminal justice system. When we look across Irish society, we can see that systemic racism towards the Traveller community is embedded across the various institutions. A situation like that perpetuates negative and unjust outcomes. It is not up to the community to be more trusting of institutions, including those in the criminal justice system. It is up to the criminal justice system, particularly those who work in the criminal justice system, and the responsibility of the State to earn and build the trust of the community. Trust-building requires recognising that there is systemic racism embedded within our institutions. Without that recognition, we are not going to move further forward as a society.