Results 581-600 of 1,493 for speaker:Eileen Flynn

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: Regarding actions, as we have seen from Deputy Stanton's input and his parliamentary question, it is important that we write to the council and get the information needed. It is great that committee members care so much about the issues. Education is an issue that the committee must focus on in January.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: I can kind of answer that question. The recommendation for the Traveller authority around housing came from the expert group in 2019. It is also a recommendation of this committee. For the past 15 to 16 years I have been part of TAPs with the local Traveller accommodation consultative committees. We know better than anyone, Mr. O'Sullivan, that in the entire country, not one of those TAP...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: This relates to the delivery of the 32 recommendations under the expert group.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: The biggest challenge with the redevelopment of Traveller accommodation sites is Part 8. Labre Park, similar to Spring Lane, has been waiting to get through Part 8 for more than a decade. I have no doubt that if we do not keep on top of Spring Lane, we will still be at Part 8. The recommendations we are talking about today, which both organisations have again brought to the committee's...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: I thank Ms O'Donoghue. I know about this from the work we do and from the National Traveller Women's Forum, which is doing its best to get Traveller women access to refuges if needs be, including providing locations of refuges. This is not to say that Ms O'Donoghue is wrong. Far from it, but I think that Clúid Housing has taken over some sites and there is some good practice with the...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: If you take the maintenance money out of Traveller accommodation budget, they could spend hundreds of thousands of euro on repairs on sites. These could include kitchens that would not be put into settled people’s houses but it is okay to put them into Traveller homes. At yesterday’s disability committee, I spoke about children and people with disabilities. To give an...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: Ms Carmody wanted to come in.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: I think that is a very important question. It will require a consultation with the national and local organisations. An Act is just an Act; it does not have to be acted on, if that makes sense. A review of the Traveller accommodation Act would be something that would benefit the Traveller community but while we review these Acts, we are taking our eyes off the ball of implementation of...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: When we speak to people like Mr. O'Sullivan, Ms Carmody, Ms Kelly and Ms O'Donoghue, we hear about people waiting on the TAP for decades. It is still as if we are in a worse place to what we were when we started and when the Act around Traveller accommodation was put together. That is absolutely heartbreaking for the community as a whole. Accommodation is everything. Accommodation is your...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: Okay.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: A review is important. Next week, representatives from National Traveller MABS, which really is the leading body, will appear before the committee.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: The caravan loan scheme has helped on some of the halting sites in Dublin,. I agree with what Ms O'Donoghue said but before we think about scrapping this, it has supported families. It is not many families but some families were brought to an emergency home who now would probably be on the streets or in a hostel if they did not have the scheme. Again, however, Ms O'Donoghue is 100% right....

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: Yes. We were talking about that last week.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: I welcome what Ms Kelly said earlier - we said it last week as well - and what Mr. O'Sullivan brought up there around different types of accommodation. They are like chalets. That is what we would call the sort of accommodation that we have seen lately in Ireland. It is important that we give people choices. Many members of our community, as Ms Kelly said, would not live in a mansion on a...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: One hundred per cent. It is up to the Government to hold the local authorities to account. That is the whole point. It is that accountability. One would be blue in the face hearing that it is okay because it is only the Travellers. There is nothing in place that will protect Travellers from the lack of implementation by the State, by local authorities. We have seen politicians and...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: I thank our guests and the organisations for coming in today. I know everyone is very tired. It is a bit like a broken record but, hopefully, we can get some action by pushing this through. I thank the members of the committee because it is important to have questions asked by members and that it is not only somebody from our community who is pushing it. As I said, we will have Cena,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Discussion (6 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: I thank the witnesses for coming in. Until I joined this committee, I did not know there was a housing authority for people with disabilities. It is so welcome. We, in the Traveller movement, are looking for a specific housing authority for members of the Traveller community so I will be in contact with the witnesses again. Not many people even know there is an authority for housing that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Discussion (6 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: I did blab on a little bit because I know the other members will be gone for 20 minutes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Discussion (6 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: In the early days after I joined the committee, that was an issue that was brought before us. It is important if we are talking about accommodating people that the area around them is also fit for purpose. Numerous times at this committee I have raised the issue of making our play parks suitable for children with special additional needs. That is critically important. If we are looking...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Discussion (6 Dec 2023)

Eileen Flynn: I thought the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach was going to let me talk all evening.