Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State’s commitment to including diversity and equality. How can we have another commission without inclusion? I do not mean this in any disrespectful way, but as the only person from an ethnic minority group in the Seanad and speak about the importance of including people from ethnic minority groups, not just the Traveller community but young people and those with disabilities etc. for the Government not to accept even one of our amendments is disheartening.

I know the Minister of State's heart is in the right place when it comes to equality and diversity, but we have to hold ourselves to account as legislators. We have to write it into our policies and make changes going forward. It must be there in black and white, so that we can implement it as public representatives.

As well as talking the talk, Senators, Deputies and Ministers need to be able to walk the walk and bring people and communities with us and open up the doors. As Senator Ruane said, sometimes we have to give people a hand up - not a hand out - and an invitation to be part of commissions and boards going forward.I do not know of one judge who is a member of the Traveller community. My experience of judges has been negative, to be frank. I do not know of any Travellers in such a position. We sit on shitty old boards of management and are told we are part of this now but we are not part of it; we are still outside of it. Today was an opportunity to include us all. Unfortunately, the Government was not in a position to accept our amendments. Hopefully, some of our amendments could be included going forward. I will hold the Minister of State to account when he says that even though he cannot accept our amendments, he will work around inclusion and equality.