Results 1-15 of 15 for long segment:8893600

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

Eileen Flynn: ...These have been circulated. Are they agreed? Agreed. No apologies have been received. Before we start the discussion today I will read a note on privilege. All witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable or otherwise...

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

...our community endures, which highlight a distressing reality - there is no safe, secure place to call home. This unacceptable situation has reached a critical point where makeshift solutions are no longer viable. The mere provision of a water tank or a portable toilet falls woefully short of what is adequate. Compounding this issue, pilot projects like the caravan loan scheme are...

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

...changes and positive outcomes for Travellers and Roma. Roma have also been engaging with the State regarding the national Traveller and Roma inclusion strategy. The new strategy being developed is now long overdue. Implementation of this strategy is key. While there were 145 worthwhile actions in the previous plan, implementation was poor. We need to see Roma involved in the...

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

...we can have better outcomes. We also need evidence from the State through ethnic data to show where the gaps are and where things are working well. In 2022 after years of lobbying, the HSE published a long-awaited national Traveller health action plan. It was welcomed by Travellers and Traveller organisations, particularly for the fact that it had an accompanying budget and monitoring...

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

...to the fact that a Roma woman is speaking today. On the one hand, it is historic, but it truly reflects the lack of diversity across the body politic both in the Seanad and in the Dáil that is long overdue rectification. I also commend the two young speakers, James Stokes and Latisha McCrudden, for sharing their experiences. They represent so much that is positive about so many of...

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

...consequences of it to our families, especially the young. I consider this a very much-needed and essential conversation for a community that is disconnected from its historic expressions and belongings and that can exist in a state of trauma and great injury. It has wide-reaching implications and consequences on belonging from mental health to self esteem, inter-community dialogue,...

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

...step, but, sadly, it has yet to materialise. A multilevel, integrated approach involving the education and training sector is critical to redress intergenerational poverty and exclusion arising from long-term community unemployment - I would say the forced long-term unemployment within our community. In 2022, unemployment in Ireland was 8%, but it was 61% for Travellers. This was 20%...

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

...talking about our lived experience is a testament to that. We are strong, resilient people and I will finish with this little anecdote. I spoke to Patrick Nevin about this in the yard of Pavee Point not too long ago when we were having a bit of a chit-chat. My father passed away in 2010. He never went to school in his life. He could not read or write. In fact, he never had a watch on...

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

Réada Cronin: ...She has that special gift. I thank her for using her voice on behalf of her people, women, women Travellers and mothers of Traveller children. It is great to hear her. I do not want to speak for too long because this is about giving Travellers the floor. I am just here to say that I heard most of the speakers today and Sinn Féin in Kildare is delighted to have a Traveller...

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

Eileen Flynn: ...Athy markets, recycling clothes. Daddy and Mammy sold clothes, bric-a-brac, second-hand shoes and books in the market. I remember it was five books for £1 or one book for 20p. That is going back. We have come a long way as a community but by God, we have a longer way to go for equality of opportunity. It is important when we talk about women's equality that we include Traveller...

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

Éamon Ó Cuív: Today was very educational for us and that is important. The challenges are enormous. One thing I have found in politics - and I am at it a long time - is that as soon as you solve one problem, another problem appears on the horizon. That goes right across life. However, that does not justify not trying to solve problems continuously. We need to consider what overall progress we have...

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

Eileen Flynn: ...our community. People say, "If you cannot see it, you cannot be it." There is so much out there you can see and want to be but, unfortunately, you do not have the opportunities. We have, however, come a long way in 40 years. It took us nearly 40 years to get recognised as an ethnic minority group. It might take us the next ten or 20 years to get that State apology. Again, we deserve...

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

Jerry Buttimer: ...the Seanad, which is the Upper House of the Oireachtas. It is an important debate and one I hope will resonate beyond the Chamber today. Seanad Éireann is a House of our national Parliament that for a long time has allowed public representatives from diverse backgrounds to raise issues which impact upon their communities. We are fortunate to have among us Senator Flynn who, as...

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

Éamon Ó Cuív: ...One was the appointment by the Taoiseach of a Traveller to the Houses. The other was the setting up of a dedicated committee to deal with the challenges faced by the Traveller community. I am a long time in politics and the challenge in politics is that bringing change about is a slow business. Most of those present, as activists, have found that. No matter what level of government you...

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

...Joyce. She could not rely on her community to vote because they were not registered when they had no fixed abode. We have come far, as is evidenced by today's meeting, but that journey has been a long time coming. I know we could have filled this Chamber three times over. There are people in our community who could do a far better job in terms of leadership at national and local level....