Ireland’s legal framework fails to protect society from racist violence and crime, a new report on racism in Ireland has found.
The European Network Against Racism (ENAR) today launched the report in Brussels alongside the European ENAR Report, Racism in Europe to mark International Day Against Racism.
The Irish report, prepared by the Irish Network Against Racism (ENAR Ireland), concludes that Ireland’s legal framework fails to protect society from racist violence and crime. It points out that it is now a decade since the review of the Incitement to Hatred Act 1989 was announced and yet there has been no change to the law.
It showed that racist violence and crime accounts for 75 per cent of the racist incidents reported to the network last year, constituting 113 of the 149 reported incidents.
“Only one in six people report racist incidents to the police, often due to fear or the fact they feel nothing can be done,” the author of the report Catherine Lynch said. “There is some acceptance in Ireland that racism is serious issue across Europe but many consider it less of an issue here. When you compare the ENAR reports for Ireland and the EU, you are struck with how many problems we share with other member states.
“The reports challenge the pervasive myth that racism is not a significant issue in Ireland and that we are leaders on equality in the European context. The economic climate is having a negative impact on ethnic minorities, creating fears among the general public that incite racist behaviour. This is a reality we can no longer afford to ignore.”
To coincide with the launch of the report ENAR Ireland, has called on the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter to recognise racist crime in Irish law.
The organisation is inviting people across the country to join them in their call for Mr Shatter to recognise racist crime by signing their online petition at enarireland.org