National reporting system needed to counter racism on our streets

Gerard Howlin’s contribution to the debate on racism (We Irish are not whiter than white. We have a long history of racism, Opinion, December 3) may have been uncomfortable reading, but it reflected a reality.

Our political leaders are rightfully quick to condemn hate crimes and racism internationally, but much slower to acknowledge that they occur on our own streets. This year, the Immigrant Council of Ireland has recorded 204 incidents of racism, an increase from 142 in 2013.

One in10 cases involved violence: people were kicked or punched or a campaign of hatred culminated in a brick or even a petrol bomb, being thrown through a window.