AHCPS delegates condemned "unwarranted and hurtful accusations of racism levelled in the media against the staff of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform". They passed a motion saying that such attacks "call into question the personal integrity of members" and calling on the association "to counter publicly such accusations whenever they occur in the future".
Mr Gerry Hickey, from the Justice, Equality and Law Reform branch of the union, cited a leading article in The Irish Times, in particular, which stated that the "Department of Justice . . . continues to maintain a hostile, suspicious approach to the supposed `aliens' in our midst".
"It should go without saying that we oppose racism and unequivocally condemn xenophobia," he said. Members had worked hard to make the recently completed European Year against Racism a success, but they were still being branded as right wing and having their integrity impugned. "We try to deal compassionately with people, even when they enter the country illegally."