Vol. 569 No. 1
148 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of times he has met people who have experienced racism here; his views on the fact that to publicly minimise or deny the impact of institutional racism as well as racist attacks or harassment is grossly insulting to the victims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17350/03]
I refer the Deputy to my comprehensive reply to Parliamentary Question No. 174 of 13 May 2003 which details the measures which have been put in place by Government to combat racism and racial discrimination in all its forms.
While I stand over the remarks I made in the House on 29 May 2003, that Ireland has been remarkably free from racism, I am not in any way lessening the considerable impact that racist incidents and attacks have on their victims and I think the Deputy should recognise that considerable progress has been made in dealing with racism and other forms of discrimination in recent years.
