Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 2 Dec 1999

Vol. 512 No. 2

Written Answers. - Racism Complaints.

Austin Deasy

Question:

24 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the complaints, if any, regarding racism received by his Department or the embassy in London from Irish nationals in Britain; the complaints, if any, regarding harassment by police officers and immigration officials at ports and airports; the statistics covering these occurrences over the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25638/99]

Complaints of racist treatment and/or harassment by public authorities such as police, prison and immigration officers are occasionally received from Irish people residing in or visiting Britain. Precise statistics are not kept but the incidence of such complaints has diminished in recent years.

In June 1997 the Commission for Racial Equality in Britain published a report on discrimination and the Irish community in Britain which concluded that there was an extremely strong resistance to recognition of the distinctiveness of Irish experience in Britain which results in a lack of acknowledgement of Irish needs and rights but at the same time there was a widespread, and almost completely unquestioned, acceptance of anti-Irish racism in British society. This was the first major report to be commissioned by an official British agency on the Irish in Britain. The report drew attention to discrimination in a number of areas and contained recommendations to Government agencies, statutory bodies, voluntary agencies and private companies about addressing this situation.
The Irish Government is, of course, concerned about any expression of prejudice or discrimination against our community in Britain and, through the Embassy in London, we are encouraging action by British Government bodies and voluntary Irish organisations to follow through on the recommendations in the report.
The Embassy brings individual complaints of anti-Irish behaviour to the attention of the public bodies involved and complainants are reminded of the legal redress options available to them under the Race Relations Act.
Complaints arising from the experiences of Irish passengers at British ports and airports mostly relate to the operation within Britain of the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The Government has frequently expressed to the British authorities our concerns regarding the operation of provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, such as the powers relating to port and border controls, the application of which has a disproportionate impact on persons travelling between the two islands. Complaints made to us about specific instances of the use of these powers are also raised with the British authorities through the embassy in London.
Top
Share