Sinn Féin spokesperson on Children and Equality, Kathleen Funchion TD, has called on the Government to address as a matter of urgency the claims made in a scathing report by the Children’s Ombudsman into the conditions children and families in the traveller community are enduring. 

Commenting on the shocking report, Teachta Funchion said: 

“This damming report highlights significant failures by an unnamed county council that are simply unacceptable in a modern Ireland.

“I like so many others, read the utterly shocking stories of rat infested accommodation, very poor bathing and showering facilities, wet and damp living quarters, faulty fire and carbon monoxide monitors and children playing in piles of garbage. 

“Hearing stories from children themselves of going to school dirty and smelly would break anybody’s heart.

“The most worrying finding in the Ombudsman’s comprehensive report is the deep-seated discrimination within the unnamed county council against the Traveller community.  

“There can no longer be any tolerance of degrading treatment of our Traveller communities and the Government must commit as a matter of urgency to addressing the ten recommendations contained with the report.”