Results 361-380 of 1,451 for speaker:Eileen Flynn

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: Deputy Ó Cuív can come back in. Members can come back in, but I would like them to stick to the five minutes because we have lunch at 1 o'clock, which is really important as well for the young people in the Gallery who are bored out of their heads. I now call Senator Ward. When I first came in, I was a little bit prejudiced. I thought: "Jesus, he does not like Travellers." It...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I thank the Senator. Deputy Buckley is going to give out because he is a sitting member of the committee, but we will go to Senator Clonan, whom I have to work with.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I would pick you but for the fact that Senator Clonan would give me a hard time. I am only messing.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: Is it okay with Deputy Buckley if I bring in the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien?

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: The Minister of State is very welcome to the Chamber. If he would like to give an input, he is more than welcome to do so.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: There is.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I thank the Minister of State so much for being here. It means a lot to have the support of having a Minister of State present. It is really important for us. The Minister of State is very supportive. Finally, I will call Deputy Buckley.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: With regard to time, I give members the inch and they take the mile, but I thank the Deputy. Before we round off on session No. 1, I welcome to the Chamber our young students from the Cross and Passion College, Kilcullen, County Kildare. It is always about reaching out to one person in society to change the mind of one person about the stereotypes that exist for our community. I hope that...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I welcome everybody back. As a reminder, the five topics we are covering are: health, including mental health; accommodation; education; employment; and justice. I thank all the ushers in Leinster House for their support today and also the catering staff, especially Julie and John, in making sure everybody had some nice lunch. We say there are so many Johns and Martins in our community....

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I thank Mr. De Bhairdúin. When Oein talks about heritage and culture within our community, we cannot forget about the Traveller Culture and History in Education Bill that he was part of drafting and put hard, dedicated work into. We thank him for that and for all of his hard work over the years at a political level. It is funny because we have Oein talking about culture and...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: That genuinely was not planned. It was great that the Minister could reply after Oein's presentation and we are very grateful for that. The Minister is right in that it is only a starting point for our community and the arts. Keeping Traveller culture is not just about Traveller culture but is about keeping that culture alive. I remember speaking with Oein, and I quote this a great deal,...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I welcome Mr. Martin Collins to the Chamber. He has been an activist for many a year - approximately 40 years. That is not to make him sound old. It is important that we mention his presence here. We are talking about the younger activists coming up, but let us not forget about the people who did it before us. With that, it is a pleasure to introduce Ms RoseMarie Maughan and to give her...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I thank Ms Maughan so much. We will now move on to Martin Ward. Since one or two other people are seeking to contribute, it would be good to give whoever wants to speak the opportunity to do so. We will not put the timer on but if people could stick to six minutes, it would be brilliant. I am not putting any pressure on Mr. Ward and if he goes over the time, it is okay. It is only a...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: Thank you. I would now like to call on Ian McDonagh, a young Traveller activist. I met Ian when he was about 17 and he is still an inspiring young person in our community today, just like Latisha, James and all the other young people we have in our Gallery.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: Thank you, Ian. We will move on to our next speaker, Patrick Nevin.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: This is an educational day. Mr. Nevin has brought education to the floor this afternoon. I will not comment on everyone's speech but his was remarkable and it is a piece of history that everybody needs to hear. Our next speaker is Ms Emma Ward. Ms Ward is a Traveller woman and disability activist.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I thank everyone for their contributions. This has been a very important day. I have been sitting here looking at people and listening to them speak. People watching will say they are the "good Travellers". They are all the good ones who do not cause any old fights or get into any trouble. We are all the "good Travellers". Some of us may be "settled Travellers" as people tend to put us...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I thank Dr. McDonagh for her input. For years and years, through human rights and equality organisations, Dr. McDonagh has done amazing work with us as a community. That is what we use it for, that is, working for the Travellers, the good doers and helping the poor Travellers, God help us. We can help ourselves. If given the opportunity, we do not need the good doers. We can help...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: Hear, hear.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Eileen Flynn: I thank Mr. Martin Collins. Actually, today is my father's birthday, may the Lord have mercy on him. It brought me right back to when daddy was in the markets and the word "boss" and you would think, why are we calling people that? It was strategic. It was about being nice and being strategic, as I say plámás. Be very kind to get what you want, "Yes, three bags full" and get...