Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 79: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress of the Government's anti-racism and diversity policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42100/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The National Action Plan Against Racism (NPAR) was launched on 27 January, 2005 by the Taoiseach, myself and the Minister of State at my Department, Mr. Frank Fahey T.D.. The proposal for a National Action Plan Against Racism arose from a commitment at the UN World Conference Against Racism in South Africa in 2001 that each member state of the United Nations should develop and implement a national action plan. The Plan was also contained as a deliverable in the Special Initiative on 'Migration and Inter-culturalism' in Sustaining Progress.The Plan is being implemented over a 4 year period (2005 — 2008). The emphasis is on "a whole of system approach" with particular emphasis on mainstreaming intercultural issues into formulation of public policy. The Plan builds on the substantial equality infrastructure which is already in place.

The Plan provides strategic direction to combat racism. It is based on policies that promote interaction, equality of opportunity, understanding and respect.

I established a Strategic Monitoring Group, chaired by Ms Lucy Gaffney, to oversee implementation of the Plan. The membership of the Group is representative of the social partners, stakeholders such as An Garda Síochána, the Equality Authority, Irish Human Rights Commission, NCCRI and representatives of minority ethnic groups. The Group progresses key issues of the plan and involves other stakeholders and experts from outside the Group for specific projects and expertise as the need arises.

Among the activities undertaken which support the aims of the NPAR are the following:

In January, 2006 the Commissioner, An Garda Síochána issued a Directive to every member of an Garda Síochána concerning the development of Garda strategies and services to meet the needs of a more diverse society. The Directive addressed a range of issues, including the following:

protection against assaults, threatening behaviour and incitement to hatred

responding to victims of racially motivated incidents

development of consultation processes with ethnic minority communities.

recording of racist incidents on the PULSE system.

the procedures for a consultation process with ethnic minority communities at Garda District, Divisional and National level.

the recruitment of ethnic minorities to An Garda Síochána.

In the Education sector a number of intercultural projects are underway. The NCCA have produced intercultural guidelines for teachers in primary and post primary schools. Under the NPAR funding has been provided (€50,000) to assist the roll-out of primary guidelines in schools and will similarly assist with post-primary guidelines. The Department of Education and Science is also in consultation with the National Youth Council in connection with the development of an intercultural Strategy for youth work. In relation to the third level sector, the National Access Office for Higher Education, within the Higher Education Authority, is also exploring ways to progress the 'intercultural campus' with a number of third level institutions.

An Intercultural Strategy for the Health Service is also in the course of preparation. A consultation process is underway and a conference is planned on the matter for next April.

Roundtable discussion with the media on the topic of the reporting of racism and diversity issues was held on 14 November, 2005. The concept of a Press Ombudsman and Press Council of Ireland, launched on the 5th December 2006, by the Press Industry Planning Committee includes in its code of practice certain principles to be observed by journalists to avoid incitement to hatred.

A number of 'Anti-racism and Diversity' Plans (ARDs) are underway. Galway City was the first to develop such a plan and funding has been provided for ARDs in Roscommon, the Dublin Inner City, Fingal, Louth and Dún Laoghaire Rathdown.

Research has also been commissioned into 'racism and the criminal law'. This is being carried out by the Law School, University of Limerick and is due for completion in early 2007.

The Strategic Monitoring Group is also supporting a Research Initiative on Considerations for Neighbourhood Planning, Housing provision and Estate Management Policy arising from the increased cultural diversity in Ireland. The research will scope key issues arising in public and private housing and the implications for planning future housing policy and estate management. The research will be targeted at specific local authority areas. Research partners will include my own Department, the Departments of Environment Heritage and Local Government, NCCRI, and representatives from the NPAR Strategic Monitoring Group.

Under the NPAR €275,000 has been provided to sports clubs and societies to address issues of racism. The Irish Sports Council and their Local Sporting Partnerships, recently disbursed grants totalling €349,000 to encourage migrants to participate in sporting activities through mainstream sporting structures.

The Department has been actively involved in supporting the development of an intercultural strategy for soccer with the FAI and has provided funding to employ consultants to draw up such a strategy. Two other sporting national governing bodies are also at an advanced stage of committing to developments in this area.

The Strategic Monitoring Group in its efforts to engage the corporate sector held a corporate breakfast for the CEOs of Ireland's top companies on 28 October 2005 in the Burlington Hotel.

The Strategic Monitoring Group, the Equality Authority and the Irish Management Institute (IMI) have agreed to establish a BIZLAB model to promote the business case for diversity through research, to explore and identify the primary issues in management of cultural diversity and, establish a business case for investment in diversity management.

This year is the seventh year of the Anti-Racist Workplace Week. It raises awareness of the need to combat racism in organisations and promote support for the accommodation of diversity in the workplace. The week is organised by the Equality Authority and is supported by the Strategic Monitoring Group which provided €50,000 towards the event this year and in 2005.

At the end of October, 2006 the Group launched the results of an attitudinal survey on migration to Ireland updating the findings of a similar survey carried out in 2003. The results of the survey are extremely encouraging.

In early 2007, the Strategic Monitoring Group will embark on a major national awareness media campaign building on the success of its national radio campaign in early 2006 and emphasising the positives of our diverse society.

I think the House would agree that there is a general sense of optimism for the future with the conditions as set out in the recent NESC report, that immigration is managed, that there is increased efforts to promote integration and language teaching and that immigrants themselves make efforts to adapt to Irish society and to integrate.

I am sure that the Deputy will agree that this is a solid body of work undertaken by the Strategic Monitoring Group in a short period of time and I commend the Chair, Ms. Lucy Gaffney, and her partners on the Group for the efforts to date. I would also like to mention that the Committee for the UN Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (UNCERD), has regularly praised the State for its work in developing and implementing a national action plan against racism. It regards Ireland as a 'pioneer and example of good practice'.

Since my announcement of a special €5m Integration Fund to help integrate legally-resident immigrants, my Department has established a variety of schemes and initiatives for its effective dispersal. A total of €2m has been allocated to local partnerships working on locally-based initiatives and a further €1m to national and regional NGOs working in the relevant area. The funding is being distributed through Pobal who are at an advanced stage of project selection with final decisions expected shortly. A further €1m (approx.) is being used to accelerate the implementation of the National Action Plan against Racism across a range of projects. It is expected that specific project allocations will be made by the end of the year.

The balance of the Fund, of €1m (approx.), will be used to implement a wide range of initiatives being managed by the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) which is now part of the new Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service of my Department. As with the Pobal and NPAR aspects of the fund, the selection of detailed projects are, in the main, currently being finalised and decisions are expected over the next few weeks. The projects being funded include the following:

Ongoing processes and initiatives associated with the increased quota of resettlement refugees

International cooperation on selected refugee issues

A "small grants" scheme (up to €15,000 per project) for integration initiatives being managed by RIA

Research on the development of a national English language policy for newcomers.

Research on an effective approach to language interpretation for newcomers

Final project funding details will be made public as soon as they are available.