Sinn Féin have launched a Private Members Motion calling for more rights for travellers.
The motion aims to see ethnic status given to Travellers, which is already the case in Northern Ireland.
It also condemns the substandard living conditions many travellers endure and the severe funding cuts to traveller programmes over the last five years.
Gerry Adams has said people can be prejudiced against the community, something which is often down to ignorance.
“The travelling community have a culture of their own, and you know, let’s live and let live,” Mr Adams said.
“A lot of the fears are based upon ignorance so there has to be dialogue and some basis of communication, of getting to know each other because most fear is based around lack of knowledge or outright ignorance.”