MEASURES TO avert tensions between immigrants and the native-born population are especially important during the recession, Minister of State for Integration Conor Lenihan has said.
In comments made to coincide with International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which falls today, Mr Lenihan said he was encouraged by opinion polls showing that Irish people were “adapting well” to ethnic and cultural diversity. Research also showed native Irish people had a high level of day-to-day contact with newcomers, and that there were relatively low rates of racially motivated attacks.
“However, one racially motivated attack is one too many and we must continue our efforts to stamp out any discrimination experienced by migrants in our country,” he said.
The Government has been criticised for its imposition last year of a 43 per cent cut to the budget of the Equality Authority, and its decision to close its own anti-racism advisory body, the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism.
The Government’s National Action Plan Against Racism completed its four-year mandate in January, with its chair, Lucy Gaffney, expressing concern that there was no strategy to build on its work.
Earlier this year, Ms Gaffney told The Irish Times the term “anti-racism” had all but disappeared from official rhetoric and criticised aspects of Government policy. “While there is now some focus on integration – albeit without any plan – it’s nearly as though anti-racism is done now. As if, ‘we’ve stamped that out’,” Ms Gaffney said.
A spokeswoman for Mr Lenihan said yesterday that the group’s final report, which he and Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern received in January, was still being examined.
“There is, as of yet, no decision on a timeframe for publication,” the spokeswoman added.
Insisting that Ireland had a “robust equality infrastructure”, Mr Lenihan pointed out that in 2008, almost half of work-related cases of alleged discrimination brought to the Equality Tribunal were on the grounds of race. This indicated “a greater awareness on the part of migrants of equality rights and the mechanisms in place to deal with complaints of discrimination”.
He said his office was investing in schemes to ensure the type of social tensions between immigrants and the native-born population that were seen in some European countries did not emerge here.
“This is especially important now during a time of economic downturn when such tensions have a tendency to surface. Recent job losses have affected both the host and the immigrant communities and, like many other countries, we are facing a difficult economic climate ahead,” he said.
“More than ever before, we will need to work closely together and adopt innovative and strategic approaches.”