Regina Doherty (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am sorry; I am nearly having a heart attack. A lot of the time, we talk about politics being all about the personal. No one could deny that since Senator Flynn came to the House two years ago she has worn her heart on her sleeve with regard to the very personal impacts society has imposed on her community. I thank her for that and for this report and its recommendations. This is not the first report, however. While it is not the Minister's fault and I am not having a dig at him, successive Governments have issued report after report and provided budget after budget but, as Senator Pauline O'Reilly has said, we come back at the end of every year and wonder why things are not different, why budgets have not been spent and why actions have not been implemented. It is down to us. It is down to national and local government. Until we start reflecting on that, we will have a really serious problem.

In addition to reports not being implemented, we have to acknowledge that discrimination against Travellers is very much evident in our society. This is because Travellers are not represented in many aspects of everyday life. Whether we like to admit it or not, and while it is revealed in quiet little rooms so fingers are not pointed, large parts of Irish society hold enormous prejudice that can only be described as racist feelings towards the Travelling community. This is so much the case that it is nearly socially acceptable and is not challenged in the same way as any other form of racism is challenged. We just know that people feel that way and have for generations. That is probably true but, unless we challenge it, it will never change. We have to challenge the whataboutery. It is almost as if this particular community has flaws while no other community in Ireland has those same flaws. We do not talk about our own shortcomings but just focus on and highlight those of this particular community. We need to take responsibility for the 84 recommendations at both national and local level. If we do not see positive implementation, then we will have to take responsibility for the fact that this community is not seen in a positive light. We are responsible for changing hearts and minds and we can only do that together.