Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 June 2021
116. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the gestures and statements and international events against racism and discrimination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33877/21]
View answerIreland strongly condemns all manifestations of racism, xenophobia, and related intolerance. Ireland is strongly committed to the promotion and protection of tolerance, non-discrimination, freedom of expression and freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief. This commitment is reaffirmed in the Global Island: Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World.
Ireland ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in 2000, and was last reviewed under its treaty monitoring body in December 2019.
Through our multilateral engagement, Ireland consistently raises the issues of racism and intolerance and advocates for inclusive societies at the UN’s Human Rights Council (HRC), including through the Universal Periodic Review mechanism, and at the European Union.
The death of George Floyd in the United States in 2020 and the Black Lives Matter protests that followed in the US and internationally shone a light on the issue of racial discrimination and led to a special session on racism at the 43rd session of the HRC in June 2020. Ireland delivered a national statement at the session and co-sponsored the resolution on the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
At the most recent session of the HRC in March 2021, Ireland co-sponsored a US led Joint Statement on Racism and we delivered a national statement in an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief.
The issue of racism will remain on the Council's agenda with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights due to present a report on racism to the 47th session of the HRC which began on 21 June. Ireland will continue to intervene where appropriate to condemn manifestations of racism, xenophobia, and related intolerance.
