Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Ar scáth a chéile a mhairimid. Is é sin a dúirt ár nUachtarán. We certainly do live in one another's shadows but we also live together and depend on one another. Both speeches last night, by the Queen and the President, did us proud. It was great to hear the Queen indicating a royal willingness to participate in the commemorations of 1916. We look forward to that. The Taoiseach is meeting the British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron, this morning to discuss the possibility of a joint trade mission abroad. Looking at the trade figures, it is absolutely the case that ar scáth a chéile a mhairimid.
Senator Ó Clochartaigh stole my thunder in raising the article by Brenda Power in the Daily Mailyesterday, but I am very glad he did so. In conjunction with the news that John Joe Nevin, who has done us all so proud, has had both his legs broken, it is a sad day for Travellers and for boxing. John Joe apparently went into the middle of an affray and we see what transpired. Travellers have their own pride and their own troubles. At the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly this term, we will be producing a report on issues affecting the Traveller community throughout the island of Ireland, which has involved taking evidence from Traveller communities in the North and in London. We will be reporting on that at the end of the term.
Will the Leader agree to have that report brought before the House for discussion? It goes without saying that everyone, settled and Traveller, has to take responsibility for themselves, but the article by Brenda Power focused on ethnicity. In particular, I condemn the language that was used. Every responsible person has problems with what some Travellers do, just as we have problems with what some settled people do. People are not all the same. Pavee Point today condemned outright the language used in the article. It is time we debated this subject and I ask that we do so after the BIPA report is published, which report should include recommendations in this regard.