Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2020
378. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the percentage of public offices displaying information on the way in which to make a complaint of racist behaviour by a member of staff or another customer under Action 67 of the Migrant Integration Strategy 2017–2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11290/20]
View answerThe Government has made a clear commitment to tackle incidents of racial abuse through a number of targeted actions contained in the Migrant Integration Strategy. The Migrant Integration Strategy commits public bodies to take action on employment, education, access to public services, political participation and immigration. It requires all public bodies to mainstream integration issues into their work. It includes specific actions to tackle racism, from requiring local authorities to remove racist graffiti to ensuring there is migrant representation on Joint Policing Committees.
I chair the Strategy Committee, which includes representatives of NGOs and public bodies, and it meets quarterly to monitor implementation of the Strategy and to press for delivery of specific actions. A key theme of the Strategy involves actors from all sectors and the wider community, in “Promoting Intercultural Awareness and Combating Racism and Xenophobia” {Theme 9, Actions 61-71 of the Strategy}
Actions within the Migrant Integration Strategy concentrating specifically on tackling racism and hate crime are:
1. A review of current hate crime legislation with a view to strengthening it, particularly in the area of hate-speech;
2. Tackling the issue of under-reporting of racially motivated crime;
3. Tasking all public sector bodies that engage with local communities to explore ways of bringing minority and host communities closer together; and
4. Ensuring that local authorities play their role through development of local integration strategies, ensuring early removal of racist graffiti, and encouraging migrant groups to participate in Joint Policing Committees.
Actions applicable to all Government Departments under the Strategy include the provision of information to migrants in language-appropriate formats, ongoing intercultural awareness training for all front-line staff, signage in public offices indicating where interpretation is available and clear information on how to make a complaint about racist behaviour by staff or another customer.
Anti-Racism Initiatives are also supported under various Government funding programmes which are implemented by Agencies and community and voluntary sector organisations . Examples include Fingal County Council’s project Promoting Integration and Social Cohesion and Sport Against Racism Ireland, all of which deliver anti-racism programmes for young people with the support of funding from the Department.
Some progress has been made under Action 67 of the Migrant Integration Strategy which requires all public offices will display information on how to make a complaint of racist behaviour by a member of staff or another customer. The Migrant Integration Strategy Progress Report 2019, shows that in the cross-cutting actions survey results, of the 22 Departments/Agencies with Public Offices, four (18%) reported displaying information on how to make a complaint specifically about racist behaviour (the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Bus Éireann, Fáilte Ireland and the Office of the Revenue Commissioners). My Department will continue to monitor progress on this action through surveying responsible bodies prior to meetings of the monitoring committee.
My Department will shortly be requesting an update of this and other actions from Government Departments and Agencies in preparation for the next meeting of the Migrant Integration Strategy Monitoring and Coordination Committee, which has unfortunately been delayed due to the holding of the General Election in February and the COVID-19 pandemic. All Departments and Agencies will be reminded of their responsibilities under these actions at the next meeting.
The overall mission of my Department is to work to deliver a safe, fair and inclusive Ireland. My Department is also working as a priority to develop new legislation to deal with both hate speech and hate crime. New legislation to introduce specific hate crime legislation and to strengthen the law on incitement to hatred is being progressed. Last October, Minister Flanagan and I launched a public consultation to ensure legislative proposals responded to the real life experience of victims and to seek views. There has been consultations with civil society groups, experts, professional organisations, community groups and members of the public and any new legislation will be informed by the outcomes for these consultations.
The promotion of diversity, integration and inclusion is a vital challenge which faces all modern societies in a time of globalisation. We are committed to developing and nurturing an all-inclusive society in Ireland. Racism and xenophobia are the very antithesis of the equality, integration and inclusion that we are working to support in communities across Ireland. Both Minister Flanagan and I have made clear that all forms of prejudice and intolerance are completely unacceptable. We and the Government as a whole are fully committed to ensuring that Ireland is a safe and secure place for all and that appropriate tools are in place to address prejudice in all forms.
Minister Flanagan and I announced the formation of a new Anti-Racism Committee in June 2019. Professor Caroline Fennell, UCC Professor of Law and Commissioner with the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has been appointed chairperson of the committee. The Committee has a mandate to review current evidence and practice and make recommendations to Government on how best to strengthen its approach to tackling racism. It will seek to develop an understanding of the nature and prevalence of racism in Ireland and to work towards achieving a social consensus on actions required, by State and non-State actors. In performing its role, the Committee will engage with stakeholders from a range of sectors.
