Monitoring racism in Ireland

international | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Wednesday March 29, 2006 13:16 by Garrett Mullan - Show Racism the Red Card info at theredcard dot ie

Monitoring of racist incidences in Irish Republic needs to be stepped up

This week the NCCRI (National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism) launched a handbook on Seeking Advice and Redress Against Racism in Ireland. However there are wild discrepancies in recording of racism in Ireland as compared to Britain. Show Racism the Red Card has a report form on its website and is hoping to gather research to illustrate the true extent of racism in Ireland.

In the January to June period of 2005, 81 racist incidences were reported to the NCCRI. 73% happened in the greater Dublin area. Statistics reveal that racism is occuring regardless of people's legal status. Refugees and asylum seekers, Irish, EU citizens and non EU citizens are experiencing racism. They also reveal an upward trend from 46 in 2003, 70 in 2004 to 81 in 2005.

In the UK over 52,000 racist incidences were recorded in 2004 with the Commission for Racial Equality. The discrepancy in recording between Ireland and the UK indicates serious under reporting in Ireland. The NCCRI handbook will go some way to addressing under reporting but there remains the need for adequately resourced research facilities.

Currently there only €1m allocated to the National Action Plan on Racism in Ireland. This is another indication that the government is failing to address the issues arising from the massive demographic changes over recent years.

Good policy can only be informed by good research. There remains a gap in both concerning the Irish government's response to racism and recording of incidences. Show Racism the Red Card has a report mechanism on its website and it is hoped that this will contribute to the work of the NCCRI's racism record procedures.

The website was launched on February 27th at Tolka Park. Further local initiatives to publicise awareness of this mechanism are being undertaken in a pilot project with Drogheda United, Galway United and Shamrock Rovers in partnership with local schools in these areas.