I join others in expressing solidarity with all members of the Traveller community and their settled allies following yesterday's historic announcement. It was an historic day for members of the Traveller community and a momentous day for Irish society in recognising Traveller ethnicity, which was the right thing to do and about time. As I sit beside Members like Senator David Norris, I think of people like Tonie Walsh and other members of the LGBT community who waited unnecessarily long for equality. Last night, the wait ended for members of the Traveller community. In his contribution in the Dáil, Deputy Gerry Adams noted the 1963 report by the Commission on Itinerancy which had a huge bearing on the State's approach to and policy on Travellers. It established the policy on Travellers for the following 20 years and is one of the most shameful reports in the history of the State.

Hear, hear.

I wish to read some of the terms of reference of the commission, even though it genuinely pains me to do so:

(1) to enquire into the problem arising from the presence in the country of itinerants in considerable numbers;

(2) to examine the economic, educational, health and social problems inherent in their way of life...

They also include the promotion of their "absorption into the general community". In 1964, a year after the report was published, the song, "The Travelling People", one of the first folk songs I ever learned, was written by Ewan MacColl. It is worth quoting:

I've known life hard and I've known life easy

And I've cursed the nights when winter winds were storming

But I've danced and sung through the whole night long

Watched the summer sun rise in the morning

We knew the woods and the resting places

And the small birds sang when winter time was over

Then I'd jog with my horse and dog

They were good old days for the rover.

May there be many more good and better days for the Traveller community.

Hear, hear.