There are calls for supports for horses to form part of Traveller housing policy in Ireland.
It comes as the director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, Michael O'Flaherty, says local authorities should accommodate Travellers with somewhere to stable a horse.
The centrality of horses to Traveller culture "has to be acknowledged" in housing policy, Mr O'Flaherty says.
Martin Collins is co-director of Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre.
He told Newstalk Breakfast investment in horses is already there, but should be expanded.
"The Irish Government pump €80m annually into the equine industry in Ireland.
"And that's to a community that's already very privileged and the elite of Irish society.
"So if they can pump €80m per annum into an already well-resourced and privileged sporting industry, surely to God they can pump some funding into [the Travelling community]".
Martin claims the position of the State has been to remove horse ownership from the community.
"I think it's important that we begin to facilitate Traveller horse ownership.
"Unfortunately the strategy over many, many years has been to legislate horse ownership into oblivion.
"That has been the policy of this State".
However he says some local authorities - Offaly, Kilkenny, Kerry and Cork - have engaged with the community to set up equine projects.
"It's really a question of depending on the local context, and for those discussions to take place between the local authority and the local Traveller community.
"And there are solutions, and that has proven to be the case - but unfortunately, these examples of good practice are few and far between".
Asked about keeping horses in stables in an urban environment, he says this could have issues.
"I would accept there will be some practical difficulties in certain context, but I think it's a question of attitude here.
"If there's a political will there's always a way.
"Pavee Point would encourage the local authorities to engage with the Travelling community in a constructive dialogue.
"Solutions will be found in my opinion".
