David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has already made it clear that the Government condemns all forms of racism in our society. I welcome the opportunity to address the House on this very important issue.

A recent key development in the fight against racism has been the formation of the anti-racism committee, which has a mandate to develop a new anti-racism strategy and action plan for recommendation to the Government. The purpose of the committee is to develop an understanding of the nature and prevalence of racism in Ireland, including anti-Traveller racism, and to work towards achieving a social consensus on actions required by State and non-State actors. Chaired by Professor Caroline Fennell of University College Cork, it will review current evidence and practice and make recommendations to the Government on how best to strengthen its approach to tackling racism in all its forms. The committee will consult stakeholders from a broad range of sectors. It will hold its first meeting tomorrow and will provide a report to Government within three months, with a full report due at the end of one year.

Central to our efforts to improve integration is the migrant integration strategy, which I launched and have chaired since 2017 and which runs until the end of this year. It presents the vision of an inclusive society where all can fully participate and where diversity is valued. Racism in all its forms is a barrier to that vision being realised. Our work to date implementing this strategy and monitoring its progress together with our NGO partners in the strategy committee has helped to build our understanding of where more effort is required and what we need to do to ensure that all members of our society feel that they belong and are valued.

Racism is not experienced by Travellers alone. Travellers, Roma and other ethnic minorities encounter racism and prejudice in their daily lives. The Government has worked actively to promote opportunities for Travellers and to recognise their rights. The landmark development has been the recognition of Travellers as an ethnic minority. Those Members who were present on the night of 1 March 2017, when the then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, made a statement recognising Travellers as an ethnic minority will agree that it was a truly memorable event, with all political parties united in support of the his statement. Recognition of Traveller ethnicity has been a symbolic step forward in the State's acknowledgement of the uniqueness of Traveller culture and identity and it generates mutual understanding and respect between Traveller and non-Traveller communities.

Recognition of Travellers as an ethnic minority did not remove overnight all the obstacles that have prevented them from experiencing full equality within Irish society. However, it has created a strong platform of respectful dialogue and a pathway towards equality for Travellers. It also demonstrates the commitment of Government towards recognising the contribution that Travellers have made to society and culture in Ireland. The National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 suggests specific actions in combating discrimination and ensuring equality for Travellers, as well as actions relating to celebrating and promoting the richness of Traveller culture, which is an important part of our country's heritage.

Last December, I reported to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which was held in Geneva, on actions that Ireland has taken since 2011 to promote equality and to combat racial discrimination, including measures to strengthen the human rights infrastructure so that it can challenge racism more effectively. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 introduced the equality and human rights positive duty, providing structural underpinning for action by public bodies on equality, human rights and the combatting of discrimination, including racism. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, IHREC, has been given a range of powers to challenge discrimination, including against ethnic minorities, and to seek legal redress for persons experiencing discrimination. One of its functions under the Act is to encourage the development of a culture of respect for human rights, equality and intercultural understanding in the State.

I believe in the power of communities when it comes to bringing about lasting change. In 2017, I launched the communities integration fund, which supports local initiatives by migrant and non-migrant groups to promote integration and, most importantly, to allow people to get to know each other. Some 124 organisations received funding in 2019 and projects are being funded which are explicitly intended to challenge racism at grassroots level. The 2020 call for applications will be officially launched by the Department this Friday. I have also sought to strengthen the participation of communities in welcoming refugees to Ireland and was inspired by the community sponsorship model developed in Canada, whereby local communities sponsor refugee families to settle in their towns and villages. I saw first-hand when I visited similar projects in the UK how the integration outcomes were improved for refugees when the communities and neighbours took part in the resettlement process. Following a successful pilot programme in Meath and Cork, I formally launched refugee community sponsorship in Ireland in November of last year.

I would like to remind Deputies that the majority of Irish society has been remarkably open and welcoming to migrants from across the world. Our diversity is our wealth. Some 17% of our population were born outside of Ireland and many have been given the opportunity to acquire Irish citizenship. Ireland is one of the 13 EU member states that provide citizenship if the person has been resident for five years and one of the 16 member states permitting dual citizenship. Approximately 120,000 people have received Irish citizenship since 2011, which represents more than 2.5% of the total Irish population and our country is better and richer as a consequence.

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