McDowell told of society's racsim

An outspoken human rights activist today told Justice Minister Michael McDowell that Irish society was very racist and unfriendly.

Goretti Mudzongo, 35, originally from Zimbabwe, made a passionate speech in which she condemned the work permit system, the increase in charges for re-entry visas and the lack of recognition for migrant workers.

“I find that Irish society, I’m sorry to say, is very racist in the way it treats migrant workers and travellers,” she said.

“I find Irish people very non-inclusive. You could stand there in a room but nobody talks to you.”

At the launch of Anti-Racist Workplace week in the Equality Authority’s headquarters, she also claimed that black people who drove cars in Ireland constantly had to make sure everything was in order.

“Invariably you’re stopped (by the Gardaí) for a DWB charge, that’s a Driving While Black charge,” she said.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell, who was sitting in the audience, responded by abandoning much of his prepared speech and spent five minutes addressing the criticisms.

Ms Mudzongo, who works with the Southside Travellers Action Group, said the Government was not helping matters by constantly talking about bogus asylum seekers.

“I personally have never heard any mention of the worth of migrant workers. Could you imagine if all migrant workers were to drop dead today or leave Ireland? What would happen to your construction industry, your catering industry?”

Ms Mudzongo said the doubling in fees for migrant re-entry visas – from €50 to €100 – meant it had cost her family 400 euro (£270) just to leave and re-enter the country for a holiday.

She called for more equality education in schools to counter the effect of negative media reports on Africa.

In his response, Mr McDowell said he was sorry to hear that she felt Ireland was a racist and unfriendly state.

“It’s not a universal view among migrants, I have to say, but if that’s your experience, I have to say it saddens me to hear that people would feel excluded or marginalised or left out of a conversation because of the colour of their skin in Irish society.”

He conceded that the cost of €400 for re-entry visas for a family was too high and said the issue would be looked at.

He said the Government was working hard to create a more inclusive society and pointed out that ‘97% or 98%’ of the 18,500 people who applied for Irish citizenship after the citizenship referendum would be granted it.

“It has to be said that Ireland as a society is dealing with it in a remarkably good way. There are so many Cassandras, particularly in public life, who like the issue of potential racial disharmony, who almost want it to happen, and it hasn’t happened yet.”

Mr McDowell reserved his strongest criticism for those in the media, who he said were distorting his views and the Government’s views on migrant workers.

“What you said puts a big question mark on what they do. Because they always zero in on the issues of problems, of tension of conflict, of ‘he says this’, ‘she says that’, instead of refecting what Government is constantly saying. And that is that migrant workers in Ireland are welcome, are positive, and are essential for the economic development and the social prosperity of this country.”