Recession sees racism rise as minorities are targeted

THE recession has seen an increase in the discrimination and targeting of minorities, the outgoing state-funded authority on racism has said.

Delivering its final report ahead of disbanding, the National Consultative Committee on Racism (NCCRI) said it was “dismayed” at the Government’s weakening support for groups battling discrimination.

The Government cut the NCCRI’s budget by 100% in the budget, which has forced the group to close its doors. Its role is to be merged into the office of Minister for Integration Conor Lenihan.

The group’s director, Philip Watt, said it was a time to actually increase resources to combat discrimination.

“There has been a significant hardening of attitudes to Travellers and people of colour,” he said saying this was due to the recession.

The NCCRI’s half a million euro annual budget has been slashed to nothing and its staff will be let go.

The group, set up nearly 11 years ago, was largely responsible for putting together the National Plan Against Racism. It was also involved in reacting to reports of racism and training 200 organisations to tackle racism.

Under its guidance, all political parties also agreed to refrain from using racist material.

The NCCRI has warned the situation regarding the reporting of racist incidents is vague following the Government decision to stop the group’s funding.

Mr Watt said no decision had been taken to transfer NCCRI staff, who had the experience and training, across to the minister’s office. In addition, individuals discriminated against were unlikely to go to the department for help, he added.

NCCRI chairwoman Anastasia Crickley said the organisation had worked on a “tightrope” between the Government and civil society for more than a decade.

“Our ending doesn’t mean racism has gone away. All the evidence with an economic downturn can be the tendency [for people] to discriminate and target minorities,” she stated.

The European Network Against Racism said it had no faith in the state’s response to discrimination.

Eric Yao, a coordinator with the Africa Centre, said the decision to abolish the NCCRI was a direct blow to migrant communities.

A spokeswoman for Mr Lenihan last night said staff from the National Action Plan Against Racism would be absorbed into its offices. The minister this week had also held a meeting with Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy about the reporting of racist incidents among issues.