Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With the consent of the House, I wish to indicate my intention to share time with my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton.

Two weeks ago, I spoke of the horror I felt, and the horror we all felt, at the tragic death of the late George Floyd. Since then, we have seen a global outpouring of solidarity for the Black Lives Matter movement and an increasing and most welcome focus on the vile problems of racism and discrimination. While it may be that this moment was prompted by recent events in one state, the reality is that racism and racial discrimination are not unique to any one country or continent. Racism is insidious. It is present to some degree in every society, including Ireland. Recognising this terrible reality is the first step in combating it. We need to face up to the fact that racism does occur in Ireland. We need to understand better how prevalent it is and what its impacts are, and we need to generate effective strategies for tackling it. The Minister of State and I will speak this morning about some of the extensive efforts being made to tackle racism in Ireland and I will deal with the criminal justice sector.

The sad fact is that a small minority of persons in Ireland subject others to abuse or attack due to their own prejudice or intolerance. I wholly and unreservedly condemn such actions for which there is really no excuse. The mission of the Department is delivery of a safe, fair and inclusive Ireland. In our policies and initiatives we strive to deliver on this mission statement. As Deputies know, there is existing law in the area of hate crime and hate speech. With regard to sentencing for criminal offences, the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989 states that a hate motive may be considered by a court to be an aggravating factor resulting in a stronger penalty. It has been clear for some time this has not been sufficient to deter or sufficiently respond to a crime in which the victim is targeted. Recognising that this legislation is complex and sensitive, the Department has carried out comparative research on the effectiveness of various approaches to hate crime legislation in various jurisdictions. It is not enough just to have legislation on the Statute Book, it is essential that such legislation is effective.

If we are to ensure that Ireland is fully inclusive, it is important that the criminal justice system reflects and represents all of society. The Garda Síochána is pivotal in this context. In recent years, Garda recruitment campaigns have made significant efforts to attract candidates from minority communities, including through the publication of videos and materials in multiple languages. The Garda Commissioner has approved changes to the Garda uniform to allow the wearing of hijabs or turbans in order to ensure that the uniform does not act as a barrier to entry. These developments are bearing fruit.

For example, in 2019 and to date in 2020, almost 67 persons of 19 different nationalities born outside the State have applied to become members of An Garda Síochána. In addition to Garda members who are UK or EU citizens, we now have members who are nationals of Brazil, China, India, Iraq, Nigeria, Russia and South Africa, among others.

A Garda diversity and integration strategy has also been adopted. This is important for organisational and operational reasons. The strategy reflects a commitment to further diversity in the Garda workforce. It contains a working definition of hate crime to ensure that gardaí are alert and in a position to appropriately record incidents of hate crime. It commits to a proactive and respectful engagement with all members of society, including minority groups. These undertakings are underpinned by the Garda human rights strategy, the code of ethics and the wider reform process under way as a result of the work of the Commission on the Future of Policing. Effective criminal legislation will be the key in deterring and addressing hate-motivated crime and a renewed Garda Síochána will continue to benefit from ever-increasing diversity. Engaging in all communities will be a powerful force for integration and respect.

Addressing prejudice and discrimination is a mission for all of us. I am confident that I am not alone in being profoundly moved by the poem "You don't get to be racist and Irish" recently composed by the singer Imelda May. She reminds us of the piercing truth that our history as a people, during which we have experienced the torment of discrimination, exclusion and intolerance, means that we cannot be blind to the same terrible wrong being done to others. Our pride in our heritage and history must extend to taking pride in our fairness, tolerance and inclusivity.

See this speech in context