Ireland's anti-racism plans have been left to 'gather dust' 

Recent weeks have seen a number of demonstrations protesting against the accommodation of asylum seekers here.

A national plan against racism has been left to “gather dust” while asylum seekers are left to deal with “hate-mongering, disinformation, and outright lies”, it has been claimed.

A report on the National Action Plan Against Racism (NAPAR) was submitted to the Government by an independent committee last June. Committee members were told it would be published in October.

Then, according to a parliamentary question from November, Minister for Equality Roderic O’Gorman said he would bring the plan to Government for approval once the implementation plans were agreed “at the latest in mid-January”.

Now, his department has said the report, which formed a pledge in the programme for government, will not be published until March.

Immigrant Council of Ireland CEO Brian Killoran pointed out that, in the months since the report was submitted to Government, “damaging instances of organised anti-migrant sentiment and the intimidation of asylum seekers”.

“It’s problematic that so much time has now elapsed since that commitment and the initial stages of the plan’s formulation, particularly given that 2022 was an extraordinary year in terms of inward migration into Ireland,” said Mr Killoran.

“Not only does this plan need to address how we respond to the needs of individual victims of racism, but it must address how we collectively push back against organised anti-migrant sentiment. 

The level of hate-mongering, disinformation, and outright lies seen in recent weeks concerning those who seek sanctuary in Ireland must not remain unchallenged.

Communities involved in the production of the report are also angry at the delay.

Shane O’Curry, director of the Irish Network Against Racism (INAR), said there had been a large number of consultations, workshops and town halls regarding the plan.

“Communities had their expectations raised, and now we’re left with tumbleweed,” he said. “It’s what people warned us about. Another consultation and we’d be patted on the head and a report would be written that would gather dust. It’s infuriating for communities who took part.”

In a statement, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth said: “Officials in the [department] are working with colleagues across Government to agree actions and provide implementation plans for year-one objectives in the NAPAR.”

Recent weeks have seen a number of organised demonstrations, predominantly in Dublin, have been held protesting against the accommodation of asylum seekers here.

In the last year, Ireland has seen a large increase in the number of refugees seeking international protection in the country.

Furthermore, tens of thousands of Ukrainians have come here fleeing the war since last February, putting pressure on the department to source alternative sources of accommodation across the country.

Mr O’Gorman’s department has been under pressure to provide accommodation for both the Ukrainian nationals fleeing the war with Russia and with refugees seeking asylum in Ireland.

The minister told RTÉ’s News at One on Thursday that the refugee processing centre at Citywest was likely to close to new arrivals as there “is a very real risk that we won’t be able to accommodate everyone”. 

Migrants rights association Doras then called for urgent action to prevent hundreds of refugees facing homelessness.

Mr O’Curry said he believes Mr O’Gorman and his ministerial colleague Joe O’Brien are men of integrity and also highlighted the hard work of civil servants within the department on the plan. He said that it’s vitally important they dedicate the resources needed to get this plan both over the line and implemented properly.

“There are a limited number of immediate fire fighting type responses that can happen now,” he said.

The real work is the thankless long march through the weeds of community development. The National Action Plan Against Racism is the blueprint for that. 

"It can help us buck the trend across Europe and the west where the far right is on the march.” 

Mr Killoran said that making the plan a priority has been articulated “time and time again” and it had been welcome that it had been included in the Programme for Government.

The Department of Equality said that once the implementation plans and oversight frameworks are agreed, Mr O’Gorman would bring it to Government.

 “The intention is that the plan will be published in March,” it added.