Eileen Flynn (Independent)
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Apologies have been received from Deputy Lawlor. He is in the Dáil at the moment but he will be back to chair the meeting at around 12.50 p.m. or 1 p.m.

As agreed before we went into public session, we would just like to take a few minutes to remember the people who were killed in the Carrickmines tragedy, which was ten years ago tomorrow. It is very important as a committee that we remember Thomas and Sylvia Connors, baby Jim, Christy, little Mary, Jimmy Lynch, Willie Lynch and Tara Gilbert, Kelsey and Jodie, and their families. It is hard to believe that it was ten years ago almost to the day when we woke up to the tragedy of the Carrickmines fire and how it shook Ireland at the time. It is very unfortunate that it needs to be said that Carrickmines was not just a tragedy; it was the result of years of failure and years of living in failed accommodation. It was rundown accommodation in an area that was not fit for purpose for Travellers to be living in. Today, 1,700 Traveller families are still living in unsafe conditions. We need to say that. We need to be honest as a committee that for many decades Travellers has been failed through different systems, including the education system and through housing and employment. As a committee we hope to make the lives of those in the Traveller community better. We are never going to do that overnight but it is brilliant to have this committee as a long-standing committee. I know that every single Traveller in the country is thinking of the people who lost their lives in Carrickmines. I will open up the floor to the members. If any member wishes to come in to make a comment please feel free to do so.

Tony McCormack (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to be associated with the Leas-Chathaoirleach's comments. What happened in Carrickmines was an awful tragedy. I am from Offaly and we have a very strong Offaly Travellers group there. I am delighted to see that a lot of work has been done on halting sites, official and unofficial, in order that this type of tragedy does not happen in the future. My thoughts and prayers go to the friends and family of those people who passed away so many years ago.

Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I join with the Leas-Chathaoirleach and the other members here to acknowledge and remember the ten people who lost their lives in Carrickmines. I attended the funerals of some of the victims in Wexford. Certainly that day will stay in my mind forever. It has to continue to focus all of our collective minds - here in this committee, in all agencies and in the Government - to ensure we never have another incident like that. As the Leas-Chathaoirleach has said, there are still families living in deplorable conditions and in overcrowded conditions right across the country, and in conditions where there is still a fire risk. It is critically important that the work of this committee, and that of the Government, remains focused on ensuring no more incidents like that occur. Again, our hearts are with the families on the tenth anniversary.

Anne Rabbitte (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for marking the tenth anniversary. It is very important for the families and for their relatives to have their names read aloud here today. The Leas-Chathaoirleach has done sterling work in remembering them. At the same time, I totally agree, as I think all of us will, that while a lot has been done there is an awful lot more to do when it comes to Traveller accommodation and the support and welfare support that is required for Travellers. This is why we have this committee and why we sit every week. We take this role very seriously and we want to ensure we can make a difference.

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North-West, Sinn Fein)
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I echo the sentiments in remembering the families who died in Carrickmines. In the past I have experienced similar incidents in Dunsink Lane. The accommodation issues we face have to be addressed. We cannot allow another Carrickmines to happen. There is certainly a lot of work to be done. I will do my utmost, as I have always done, to try to make sure this does not happen again and to raise it every time I have a chance. My sympathy goes out to all the members of their families on this day.

John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I share the sentiments of the other members. I think in particular of the Connors family, the Lynch family and the family of Tara Gilbert. I read an article last week in the paper in which Ben Lynch discussed the continued pain from this tragedy and the increased sense of pain he feels as the tenth anniversary approaches.

I share the sentiment of everyone that while we should not need it, the anniversary of the Carrickmines fire should be a reminder to us all of the necessity to make sure we improve the standard of accommodation for members of the Traveller community and the particular role that we on this committee have in highlighting that. I express my sympathies to all the families.

Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for raising this issue and for reading the names of the ten people into the Official Report. It is really important we do this on the tenth anniversary. We all remember where we were when we heard about what had happened. We all remember the trauma. Fortunately we are probably lucky that we have not had a second one or another one. The Leas-Chathaoirleach referred to the 1,700 Traveller families living in accommodation that is not suitable. That needs to be addressed. Hopefully, while working on this committee everybody here is committed to doing the best they can. We will have failed in our job if we do not come out of this committee at the end of term with some improvements, be they in education, housing, or employment, which is a massive issue as well. I offer my deepest sympathy to the family and friends of those who died. All Travellers will be traumatised tomorrow because they will remember that date. I have spoken to a few of them in Limerick about that already.

Séamus McGrath (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for raising this on the tenth anniversary. It was an absolute tragedy and an unspeakable tragedy with the loss of life and the impact on families. That impact continues, obviously. In many ways it is a byword for lack of progress on Traveller issues around accommodation and supports. As others have said, we have to continually remember what happened and use it as a reminder and motivation to try to make progress and to continue the work we are doing as a committee and the broader work that needs to be done to improve the lot of Travellers and the Traveller community. It is absolutely fitting to raise it here today. Has the Chair suggested a moment of silence? We should have one and it would be appropriate.

Eileen Flynn (Independent)
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I thank the Deputy for his suggestion of a moment's silence. It is important to use that minute to reflect as a committee on the many issues that really impact so many Travellers in Ireland today, such as mental health, accommodation and education. We have to keep raising these issues. We never want to see an instance like Carrickmines ever again. It is important that we remember the victims today and their families. We will observe a minute of silence.