Paul Murphy Calls for Condemnation of Anti-Traveller Racism
Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste to condemn blatantly racist anti-traveller comments made by Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Crow on Galway Bay FM. Murphy said Crow opposed allocating a house in Renmoor to a traveller family, quoted Crow saying "they're vastly different cultures," and called the remarks "absolutely blatant, absolutely disgusting anti-traveller racism."
Summary of allegations
Michael Crow opposed a house in Renmoor being allocated to a traveller family during a Galway Bay FM interview, saying "they're vastly different cultures." Murphy also said Crow effectively justified the burning down of a council house because it was to be allocated to a traveller family.
Calls for condemnation
Murphy urged the Tánaiste to condemn the comments and also asked that the Taoiseach condemn them, noting the councillor's party affiliation. He described the remarks as blatantly racist and disgusting and said they deserved formal condemnation by government leaders.
Tánaiste's response
The Tánaiste replied that he and the government oppose racism in all its forms, speaking from his own background and experience. He said he had served on a local authority and never once voted against traveller accommodation or social housing, objected to being broadly painted with one brush, and said he had not yet heard the comments but would listen and possibly respond later.
Wider concerns on traveller accommodation
Murphy argued the incident illustrates a wider anti-traveller racism he sees at local authority level, saying that each year many councils fail to draw down funding specifically for traveller accommodation. He framed the councillor's remarks as part of a broader pattern of hostility affecting housing allocations and supports for traveller communities.
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Thanks. I want to ask the Tanaiste to condemn the blatantly racist anti-traveller comments by Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Crow. The Galway councillor was on Galway Bay FM on Monday, where he was opposing a house in Renmoor being allocated to a traveller family because of what he described as, quote, they're vastly different cultures. He even went on to effectively justify the burning down of a council house, a different council house, because it was going to be allocated to a traveller family. It was absolutely blatant, absolutely disgusting anti-traveller racism. It should be condemned by the Tanaiste and also by the Taoiseach, given that he's from Fianna Fáil. I'd also ask the Tanaiste whether he recognises that this is just the very ugly side of an anti-traveller racism, which appears to be quite prevalent across the establishment parties, at local authority level, where, for example, every single year, the one funding that is not drawn down by many councils is funding for traveller accommodation. Deputy I can absolutely assure you that this government and I personally oppose racism in all its forms. I say that not just as somebody who's biracial himself, but also as somebody who's served on a local authority and never once voted against traveller accommodation or social housing, ever. So I dislike your attempt to kind of tear us all with the one brush there. I think that's unfair. In relation to those particular comments, I haven't heard them and I don't think it would be right for me to comment on comments I haven't heard, but I will listen to them and perhaps come back to you at a later date.
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