Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

This week is Traveller Pride Week. Last Thursday, I was privileged to present an award for intersectionality to Ms Annmarie Sweeney. I want to mention that today in advance of Traveller Pride Week.

Traveller pride came about 12 years ago. I remember the Irish Traveller Movement asking me whether I would participate in a video about being a proud Irish Traveller. I would not do it because I was not proud, because society was not proud of us as a community. I have changed a lot in those 12 years when it comes to recognising Travellers as an ethnic minority group. For years and years, we were told that we were never good enough in Irish society and that we did not belong in education and could not grow up to be anything we wanted to be. That was internalised and externalised oppression.

We have come a long way as a community. The theme of Traveller pride is voices less heard within the community around addiction, mental health and LGBTQI+ people within our community. We are not just Travellers; we are Travellers who want to be something in the world. Even yesterday, a Senator with a crowd stopped me and introduced me as the Traveller Senator. I am not just a Traveller Senator; I am an equal Member of this House who raises many issues at the heart of human rights and equality. I just want to say that this morning. Nobody is just anything. We do not define people in this House because of the community they come from, say, from counties Donegal or Monaghan. We do not say, "There is the Monaghan Senator". It is important that we are mindful about that.

I will mention one last thing about the hate crime legislation. I know the Taoiseach, Simon Harris, is committed to introducing the hate crime legislation. Could the Acting Leader find out where that legislation is and whether we could get it passed before the summer recess?