‘Ethnic’ Traveller proposal rejected

The Government has been accused of “cherry picking” whose rights to recognise after it rejected a Sinn Féin call for Travellers to be immediately recognised as an ethnic group and to be given safe accommodation because further consultation is needed.

Coalition TDs voted down the opposition proposal last night, instead backing their own amendment, during a debate which heard claims Fine Gael Cork East TD Tom Barry was making comments “bordering on racist” about the under-privileged group.

Speaking at the end of a two-day Dáil debate last night, junior minister Damien English said all parties understand the nature of last month’s tragedy in Carrickmines which saw 10 men, women and children of the Travelling community burn to death.