Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In his final reply to the previous question, the Minister of State noted that the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is responsible for the budget relating to Travellers and Traveller culture. I tabled a question to the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in which I inquired about her plans to establish funding for artists, projects and institutions dedicated to highlighting the place of Traveller culture and history in Irish society. The Minister refused to take the question and transferred it to the Department of Justice and Equality. That tells us what some people in this Government think. The Minister, Deputy Madigan, has form when it comes to objecting to Traveller housing. Is she also objecting to Traveller culture? I do not know if the Minister and the Minister of State opposite are aware of this. I tabled my question out of respect for the Traveller community and addressed it specifically to the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

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