Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I echo the comments made by Senator Lombard about the cessation of a transatlantic flight from Cork Airport. The move made the airline is a classic example of bait and switch. His call for action is very appropriate because Norwegian Airlines handled the matter in a disgraceful manner by making false promises.

I want to speak about the increase in the number of racist attacks. I am concerned about the report this week that shows there has been an increase in the number of racist incidents and in racism. This situation is not unconnected to the type of language used to describe migration across Europe. It can be at the lowest level with the subtlest of dog whistles, in the outright racism by other leaders in Europe, in the suggestions that we have a problem, that migrants pose a danger and hence we need to control them and in the very dehumanising treatment of migrants. We have criticised Trump at length due to his policy of separating children from their parents on the Mexican border. However, we need to ask questions in Ireland and Europe about racism. Today, representatives of Médecins sans Frontières attended a meeting of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence. One representative of Médecins sans Frontières said that last week was the "deadliest" week on the Mediterranean Sea with the highest loss of life. Are we happy to allow people drown in the Mediterranean Sea and thus act as a deterrent? We cannot use children, families or human beings as examples. We cannot dehumanise them. Devaluing people sends a very negative signal, all of which is connected to racism. The articles on the report pointed to certain factors such as Brexit, Trump, the political narrative on migration and whether migrants create pressures when we know that they are an asset to society.

I urge the Government to consider a practical suggestion. In the past I had the honour of being a board member of the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism, NCCRI. It was a constructive State body that was created to drive constructive and positive discussions on inclusion and anti-racism. Unfortunately, the NCCRI and the Combat Poverty Agency were dissolved at the beginning of the recession. That was the exact time that we needed organisations to tackle poverty and issues like racism. I ask the Deputy Leader to ask whether we can revisit the question of creating a new national consultative committee for racism and interculturalism or a similar initiative. I acknowledge that we have had anti-racism campaigns in the past and that Senators in this House were involved.