It’s time to finally stamp out racism

NASC, the Irish Immigrant Support Centre Cork, would like to express our deep concern about the ongoing treatment of black and other non-Irish taxi drivers in Cork.

Nasc has over the past few years received many complaints by black taxi drivers who report systematic discrimination and unfair treatment in the taxi service in Cork. This problem exists for years. If there is a problem with the issuing of taxi licenses then the problem is a structural one and needs to be addressed as such. Scapegoating and targeting one group of people because of their skin colour or nationality is racism.

Derry Coughlan’s (chair of Cork Taxi Federation) statement that this federation can only take local Cork men and does not allow “non-national members” is almost inconceivable.

At a time when the US has elected an African-American president, Cork is in this embarrassing position. Other allegations he makes that there are complaints about foreign national taxi drivers regarding their “attitude and manners” does not deserve comment.

Let me remind the Cork Taxi Federation of a case a 1994 ruling by the British Commission for Racial Equality which gave a strong message that racist workplace culture which is not acceptable. A Northern Irishman had been driven from his job because he refused to laugh along with Irish jokes.

In this case the comments referred to a “typical thick Paddy”. Or the comments of an Irish person in 1997 in England after the Birmingham bombs, who was refused service in a shop and was made to “feel being Irish is a bad thing. I tried to hide my accent. I was made to feel I don’t belong”.

Apart from legal and human rights responsibilities, let us not forget our own history.

Nasc applauds Minister Billy Kelleher’s response that the law is “colour blind” and that “anyone living legally in this country, and who is working here legally, should be entitled to membership of a trade union or association”.

Our equality legislation is there to protect people from this type of exclusion. It is critical that other politicians and civic leaders take a strong stand in stamping out racism.

Gertrude Cotter

Director,

Nasc the Irish Immigrant Support Centre

35 Mary St

Cork