Mr. Bernard Joyce:

The environmental side is an area to expand. Travellers have always been involved in that, certainly in terms of the Traveller economy. Some of that was very much around recycling and being involved in certain types of work that would have been environmentally friendly. There are opportunities.

There is a crossover between what Travellers are doing and how they are looking for apprenticeships. It should be kept in mind, however, that they are also moving across non-traditional areas. All of this is very new. It is a new programme. Part of that interest is that, while people are looking at going into specific areas of interest, they also want to create employment both for themselves and maybe for other members of their community. There are really good examples of initiatives within the community, such as Bounce Back in Galway and others. There is huge potential, including the potential to move into other areas but, at the moment, we are still relatively new. We are just trying to build the interest from the community. The interest is about ensuring the intersectionality of the community is also brought into this, so that women, men and Travellers with disabilities are included. All of that is also important to ensure that we do not leave anybody behind and people have access, participation and supports.

As Ms Kelly indicated, there is a need for an employment strategy, leadership, enterprise and employment. This apprenticeship programme will not resolve unemployment within the Traveller community. It is a small spoke in the wheel. We are doing well. However, there needs to be national Government leadership and an employment strategy to shift people from the education successes over to the employment outcomes, which will lead to financial independence and viability in people's opportunity in life.

We talked about societal racism. What always strikes me is that when people become employed, they also have the opportunity to break that. Their colleagues become their friends. That then builds relationships. If somebody becomes a teacher or an elected representative, that in itself starts to change the dynamics and the relationships.

We need to build on that because Travellers, for decades, have been left behind in terms of economic employment and in educational opportunities in this country.