Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

First, I thank Deputy Pringle for bringing the Bill to the House. I also thank the Minister for stating that the Government will support the Bill.

I was born and grew up in rural society in a place called Banogue in County Limerick. My father was 98 years of age when died. He was born in 1911 and grew up in the early 1900s. I recall my father telling me that members of the Travelling community of that time, a man and his wife, called to the house twice a year. According to their tradition, the man would not enter the house but the woman would. My father told me that they were the finest tinsmiths. He said they could produce workmanship that was second to none and that he did not see anywhere else. My father was a very handy man himself.

I had the chance to observe the different culture of the community in the early 1990s, when I was in school myself. There was a Traveller boy in my class who only reached second year. Later, I was on the board of management at Coláiste na Trócaire in Rathkeale in my time as a councillor. You would imagine that given that Rathkeale has a large population of Travellers, there would be many Traveller children at the school. Believe it or not, in certain classes you would be lucky to find one. Indeed, the Coláiste na Trócaire in Rathkeale had among the lowest number of Traveller students attending in the county.

The school made some accommodations for the Travelling community. Part of the culture of some of the members of the Travelling community in Rathkeale was that they did not want their children, and the girls in particular, to mix with the boys in the mainstream school. A separate part of the school was set up to allow the Traveller children to come to school, because it was the only way they would do so. Most of the girls would get as far as third year and then leave. Most of the Traveller children did not progress past third year. I am not talking about long ago. It was only a few years ago.

Personally, I know many people within the Travelling community who run good businesses. There is a stigma which is present in every society and culture. There is a minority of people who cause trouble and it results in the whole community being tarred with the same brush. It seems to happen in many cultures. In my experience, the majority of people within the Travelling community are good people, but like all societies, there is a minority that causes trouble. Minorities should not rule anything.

Every person and child, no matter what culture they are from and what race they are, should be entitled to an education, like everyone else. That is why I am supporting this Bill. Every child, regardless of nationality, is entitled to the same chances as others.

From the days of the tinsmith to the present day, we have evolved and moved forward. Technology is advancing and everything is moving forward. It is time that the education sector also moved forward. We must ensure that every male and female child in this country and world has the same rights to education. There should be no boundaries. That is why I welcome and support this Bill. I am delighted that Deputy Pringle brought it forward and thank him for doing so.

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