Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome you all here this morning. It is absolutely overwhelming to have the Seanad Chamber full of members of our community. It is a day and an opportunity for people to speak. This is a legacy and history. We can tell our children and our grandchildren that we were doing something different and making the change. This day is evidence that things are changing and moving in the right direction for our community. When I first started out as an activist never ever did I dream that I would be chairing a committee meeting full of members of our community where we have an opportunity to speak in our Houses. These Houses of the Oireachtas are our Houses. I wish you all a very special welcome and I wish you every success today in your speeches. We are all here to support each other. We are not out to get each other.

If it is okay with members, we will first agree the minutes of our last meeting. These have been circulated. Are they agreed? Agreed. No apologies have been received.

Before we start the discussion today I will read a note on privilege. All witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of a person or entity. We will not talk about the lack of implementation today.

I suggest that we start the public meeting. We will start on education and accommodation. We will end this part of the meeting at 1 p.m. and witnesses will have the time to speak from now until 12 noon, when we will call on members of the committee and open the floor to debate. That is the first half of the session. The second half of the session will be from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. and this discussion will cover issues that impact our community. The five issues are: health, including mental health; accommodation; education; employment; and justice. The witnesses' opening statements and speeches will be published on the website.

I am delighted to welcome everybody here this morning. I thank the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad for giving us this space, the Seanad Chamber, today. I thank our committee clerks, who were with us at our last committee as well, Ellen, Margaret, Éanna, Leo, John, Tom and Timothy for all their hard work. This committee would not be doable without the work of the clerks. They really are the brains behind the committee. I thank them all so much for their work and inputs.

This morning we will discuss accommodation and education. I now invite speakers to make their opening statements. I call on Barney Joyce from the Irish Traveller Movement to speak on accommodation.