Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this matter, the burning of a Traveller family's home in County Donegal. This horrific attack was an appalling act in itself but it also highlights the terrible discrimination against Travellers in this country. The deafening silence in this House and from most of the political parties demonstrates once again the hostility that exists towards Travellers. We cannot praise President Obama or open pubs in his honour while at the same time staying silent about blatant racism and discrimination in our own country. Ku Klux Klan activities such as this incident in which a home was burned must be challenged. Staying silent when a house provided to a family is burned down should never be an option.

Local politicians who stoked up this issue must be challenged and dealt with by their political masters. Racism and discrimination should never be tolerated in any democratic or inclusive society. The Donegal Fianna Fáil councillor Seán McEniff stirred it up in the beginning when he said that Travellers should live in their own communities away from settled people. That is a disgraceful statement. I challenge all the leaders of political parties and all public representatives to stand up for the civil rights of Travellers and not to fudge the issue when dealing with their own members who act in a disgraceful manner. Apartheid was wrong in the past and it is still wrong today to treat a minority in such a way. The Fine Gael councillor Eugene Dolan from Ballyshannon, a former mayor of the town, said that Travellers could be sent to Spike Island for all he cared.

We need to face the fact that Travellers are experiencing higher levels of mortality. Life expectancy for Travellers is 11 years lower for women and 15 years lower for men than in the settled community. This has not changed since 1987. This is not the case for the settled community. Travellers also suffer with mental and physical health problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular conditions and have higher rates of suicide. That is the real world for Traveller families. We need to focus on these health inequalities among marginalised groups such as Travellers. I urge the Minister to take action against those who are stirring up this issue.

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