Ireland urged to step up efforts to counter racism
Europe’s human rights watchdog urged Ireland today to step up efforts to counter racism and to integrate asylum seekers and refugees into society.
A report by a Council of Europe committee monitoring racism praised “positive” Irish developments including an Equal Status Act in 2004, the launch in 2005 of a National Action Plan Against Racism, and new measures against racial discrimination in the police force.
But it said some recommendations made by the same committee six years ago had still not been introduced, and Ireland had still not ratified a European Human Rights Convention protocol containing a general ban on discrimination.
The report went on : “Although it is currently under review, the (Irish) criminal legislation has not been amended to include sufficiently strong provisions for combating racist acts which affect in particular visible minorities and Travellers.
“Further measures are necessary to raise members of minority groups’ awareness of existing mechanisms for seeking redress against racism and racial discrimination.
“There is also still a need for the establishment of policies aimed at integrating asylum seekers and refugees into Irish society.”
The report urges that demands in Ireland for non-denominational or multi-faith schools should be met.
The report acknowledges that a 2006 Employment Permits Act includes a requirement to tackle race and discrimination problems faced by non-Irish workers employed in Ireland.
But it says measures for integrating Travellers into society – already started in areas such as education and healthcare – need to be reinforced at work.
“National Traveller organisations should further be involved and included in these initiatives.”
The Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, whose 47 member states include all 27 EU countries, regularly dispatches its “European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) to monitor adherence to the Human Rights Convention.
The committee’s last report on Ireland, in June 2001, suggested the Irish authorities establish a “reliable and extensive” system of data collection covering minority groups.
Today’s report says: “The collection of data based on race, nationality or ethnicity in areas such as employment, education and health is not yet a consistent practice.
“The Data Protection Act 2003 provides for the processing of ethnic data with the informed consent of the person concerned. A Data Protection Commissioner has been established to give effect to this law and he has informed ECRI that his office has received no complaints regarding the collection of ethnic data.
“ECRI reiterates its recommendation that the Irish authorities establish and implement a system of ethnic data collection to assess and redress any racial discrimination that may exist in the country”.
