Racist incidents are on the rise in Ireland with internet racism a growing concern, according to a national racism action group.
The National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI), which has been collating reports of alleged racist incidents across the country since 2001, today released figures showing an increase from 65 to 99 in reported incidents from 2006 to 2007 - the highest figure recorded since June 2005.
The group set up a reporting system for victims of racism in May 2001. Currently the Garda does not keep official statistics on reports of racist incidents.
Announcing the new statistics at an event to mark Intercultural and Anti-Racism Week 2008 -which takes place from April 7th to 14th - the NCCRI said "new and old forms of racism" continue to be reported in Ireland with Dublin a hub for the anti-social offence.
Half of all incidents reported to the group last year were alleged to have taken place in the greater Dublin area and black African men were the most vulnerable group.
People of Asian origin and members of the Traveller community were also subject to racism and 15 per cent of all incidents reported in the second half of last year occurred online.
Speaking ahead of the UN International Day Against Racism, which will take place tomorrow, chairwoman of the strategic monitoring group of the National Action Plan Against Racism (NPAR), Lucy Gaffney said education was the Government's "strongest weapon" against racism and to promote integration in Ireland.
Warning of increased challenges for integration as Ireland's economy slows down, she said: "More people, whether of Irish or non-Irish birth, will become vulnerable as the economy shrinks and competition for jobs grows."
"Education alone can play a crucial part in preventing intolerance, jealousy and hatred in a harsher economic and social climate," she added.
The NCCRI announced plans to introduce a 'toolkit' for intercultural dialogue in schools, incorporating a 'virtual twinning' project for children to research the historical and/or contemporary links of five cities with Ireland. The cities chosen include Johannesburg, Krakow, Chicago, Liverpool and Beijing.
Ms Gaffney said she was aware that actions to be implemented by the Department of Education under the NPAR were some way from completion, but added: "A number of crucial educational activities are in the pipeline for delivery in the coming months."