Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Acting Chairman is doing an excellent job in the Chair and well done.

There are a number of issues connected to this subject. It is appropriate that Seanad Éireann is discussing Traveller accommodation. I commend Senator Flynn for putting this issue forward or ensuring it was put on the agenda.

There is no point in putting a tooth in it. The Traveller community is the most discriminated against group in Irish society and whether people like to hear that or not, that is the truth. It is a wrong that has been perpetrated over many generations but, more recently, over recent generations. We must ensure that discrimination does not continue into future generations. We, as a society, all have an absolute responsibility and duty to right that wrong. One of the most basic and fundamental principles that define us as a nation is the ability to provide people with a proper decent home. That has not happened in this instance. It is not that there is an unwillingness in government to do it. There has been a willingness in many governments spanning the past two decades to do it, going back to the mid-1990s when Mervyn Taylor, as Minister with responsibility for equality, introduced Traveller legislation and empowered county managers to deal with the issue. Sadly, the problem is to be found at local authority level. As many colleagues pointed out, local authorities were provided with funding in multi-annual budgets but have failed to spend the money. The carrot has been offered to them to resolve the problem but they have not bitten or done what they should have done. It is now time to wield the stick. A suggestion worthy of consideration is that local authorities that continue to fail to spend the money allocated to them for Traveller accommodation should have their resources depleted in other areas. That might focus minds on doing what they should do.

There is a problem with planning and people objecting to proposals but where there is a will, there is a way. We have a reasonably transparent planning process which gives people the right to make submissions on planning applications. These then go through the process but the problem is that councils are not submitting Part 8 applications to the degree needed.

While we are primarily discussing housing, education is another area that needs significant intervention. One of the fundamental principles of equality is access to education. Not enough Traveller children sit the leaving certificate and go on to third level. Why is that the case? We need to address the reasons for that and make particular interventions to make sure we deal with it.

Four years remain in the lifetime of this Government. Housing provision is a commitment in the programme for Government and I sincerely hope it is delivered upon. It is one of the societal challenges which our generation has a duty and responsibility to live up to. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, for being here. He is very committed to equality and has demonstrated that in his short time in ministerial office. I have no doubt he will drive this project forward along with the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, and his other colleagues in the Department.