Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas le Pádraig as an rún seo a chur os ár gcomhair. Tá sé tábhachtach go bhfuilimid ag plé an rúin seo, go háirithe toisc a tharla go thragóideach i gCarraig Mhaighin an mhí seo caite. Déanaim comhbhrón arís leis na clanna a chaill daoine sa tine agus leis na daoine a chaill cairde. Ní cóir go dtógfadh sé a leithéid de thragóid chun a léiriú gur chóir dúinne díriú isteach ar an gceist seo. Tá roinnt daoine tar éis díriú isteach uirthi thar na blianta. An fhadhb is mó ná nach bhfuil an córas ina iomlán tar éis díriú isteach uirthi. Chun díriú air sin, tógfaidh mé roinnt samplaí as mo cheantar féin.

It is a pity that it takes a tragedy such as the awful one in Carrickmines to focus our minds. It shows how small a focus we have had on a major issue that has been growing in terms of its awfulness in many ways in recent times. I will give an example of a Traveller site in my area. When I was walking in today, by chance I stopped at a bookshop, which is one of my pleasures, and I saw a photographic book on Travellers. I presume the photographs are from the 1960s but I have not had time to read it. Many of the photographs are from my area and show Labre Park and Cherry Orchard. It reminded me of many things. Members of the Furey family are in it and others people know also. The scandalous circumstances in which people lived in Labre Park and Cherry Orchard 40 years ago are the same today, bar a few bits of wall erected in the meantime. I know Labre Park very well. I have worked with the Ballyfermot Traveller Action Group and many others to encourage Dublin City Council to live up to its commitment. We are now on the fourth regeneration programme for Labre Park, yet not one brick has been laid. There has been no movement in any shape or form.

The situation has nothing to do with austerity or the crisis, as it predates it. Families are living in absolute squalor in this city but that is fine because they live outside of the norm. They live on the edge of an industrial estate. That is the problem with the vast majority of the sites which have been chosen over the years for Traveller accommodation. They are marginalised and on the edge - out of sight and out of mind. It is high time the situation ended and that we embrace fully our responsibility as legislators and focus on the responsibility of local authorities to deliver. That is the key message we should take from the debate. It is a pity the Sinn Féin motion is not being accepted but we will not leave it at that. We will continue to press to ensure that not only is Traveller housing addressed but also educational and other issues. I know the major effects of the cuts to Traveller education programmes in Ballyfermot. The situation has served to discourage many Traveller children from travelling to school, staying in school or to continue, as some have done, to university. I congratulate those who have succeeded and received awards from universities despite all the adversity.

For anyone who wishes to ascertain the full effects, only today I read the Travelling with Austerity report commissioned by Pavee Point and the scale of cuts facing every aspect of Traveller society is a disgrace. This Government and its predecessor have much to answer for.

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