Proposal for closer ethnic relations

THE requirement for primary teachers to have Irish should be reviewed and political parties should have a minority ethnic quota system for their executives, according to a report on methods to increasing integration.

The report, to be published today by the Integration Centre, also recommends that racism should be introduced as an aggravating factor in sentencing for crimes; more migrants should join An Garda Síochána; and, after two years, asylum seekers should be allowed to leave direct provision with the temporary right to work or social protection.

The document suggests 78 solutions to integration problems spread across seven categories and has a “top 10” it believes should be implemented by October of next year. This includes work on the introduction of intercultural studies as a subject at Junior and Leaving Certificate level.