Colette Kelleher (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Leader's motion on the report of the justice committee on the recognition of Traveller ethnicity. I also very much welcome the report. I welcome the Taoiseach's indication that the Government will act on its recommendations, that Travellers are de factoa separate ethnic group, that this is not a gift to be bestowed on them but a fact the State ought to formally acknowledge, preferably by way of a statement by the Taoiseach to Dáil Éireann. The report strongly encourages that this step be taken at the earliest possible date in 2017. It also states the Government should then conduct a review in consultation with Traveller representative groups of legislative or policy changes required on the foot of the recognition of Traveller ethnicity. As the Chairman of the committee said in launching the report, this cannot be a false dawn. There was a very similar report in 2014, following which no action was taken. We are already behind our neighbours in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland who have recognised Irish Travellers as an ethnic minority. Historically, international bodies have also recognised and continue to recognise the Traveller community as an ethnic minority and consistently recommended that the State do likewise. We know that the recognition of Traveller ethnicity would not be the panacea to all issues faced by members of that community. It would not fix the fact that Traveller women, on average, die 11 years earlier than settled women, that suicide rates are six times higher than the national average among the Traveller community and that there are shocking infant mortality rates. However, the recognition of Traveller ethnicity would be a huge step forward. I will be delighted if the Leader allows time in the Seanad for us to debate the issue with the Minister for Justice and Equality and welcome the pending recognition of Traveller ethnicity.