Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am not a member of the Roma community, but if I was, I would not trust anyone at the moment - the Garda, the HSE, any politician and certainly not a journalist, particularly as I would have been portrayed in recent months as some sort of subspecies, demanding of Irish society that the worst be thought of me. This is why it is so crucial that we get this investigation right. If we want the Roma community, the Traveller community or any disadvantaged or marginalised community to feel as if it belongs in this Republic, its members must see transparency and accountability. They must believe in the system and there must be a level of independence. If we get this wrong, I fear for the future of this country and the potential integration of the Roma community in this Republic. If it is happening to Roma today, it will happen to someone else tomorrow.

I plead with the Minister. We could be at a crossroads in our relations with the Roma community and many other communities that live in this Republic. If they do not believe in the State's institutions and if those institutions let them down this time, we will regret it in the years to come and we will deserve all that we get.

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