Govt accused of fuelling racism

A coalition of NGOs has criticised the Government's attitude to racism ahead of a United Nations meeting to discuss Ireland's efforts in the area.

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is due to question an Irish Government delegation about its anti-racism efforts in Geneva this Wednesday and Thursday.

The meeting has been arranged to discuss Ireland's progress report on the implementation of the UN Convention of the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which was ratified by the Government in 2000.

The Human Rights Commission has sent a report to the UN committee outlining its concerns that the Government is failing to recognise the seriousness of racism in Ireland.

Around 40 NGOs, meanwhile, have also sent a report to the committee accusing the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats coalition of fuelling rather than containing racism.

One of these NGOs, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, said the Government had to stop hiding from the problem and engage with groups working in the area of racism.

Spokesperson Aisling Reidy said: "There's hope there that the Government may, when they come back, realise that if they don't get it right, if they don't engage with the NGO community, if they don't engage with people who experience racism, that they're never going to really address problems of racism in Ireland."