INAR racist incident data prompts Civil Society Coalition call for effective National Action Plan Against Racism
March 22, 2023
The Irish Network Against Racism (INAR) today launched the Report of its 2022 findings from the iReport.ie racist incident reporting system. The total number of incidents reaching 600 (rising from 404 in 2021), the system also recorded 223 criminal incidents, including racist assaults, a record 190 reports of illegal discrimination and 136 reports of hate speech. Compared to 2021, the reports of criminal offences and incidents had increased significantly. Reported racist hate speech alFionualla O’Connell, INAR Board member said: “The 2022 data shows the continued prevalence of racist incidents in Ireland, confirming racism as an everyday reality for people from minoritised groups. The persistent levels of repeat harassment, and the continued lack of clear responses when they are reported to the authorities is a cause for ongoing concern” she said “Preliminary findings from 2023 are further indicative of a worsening atmosphere for minoritised groups. In recent months the Far Right’s promotion of anti-migrant sentiment has led to an increase in contact with INAR from minority people expressing fear for themselves and their families. This atmosphere is having a deleterious impact on community confidence, and further marginalises already marginalised groups. Effective responses from the Authorities can help reverse this.”
Patricia Munatsi, INAR Policy Lead and Chair of the new Coalition for the Implementation of The National Action Plan Against Racism (CINAPAR) added: “The new National Action Plan Against Racism is a welcome development as it puts forward a framework for tackling racism at a systemic and institutional level in all walks of life” she said “However, as chair of the Coalition, I would urge the Government to ensure the effective implementation of the Plan. The State must:
-
Ensure that the National Action Plan is housed and chaired in the highest office of the land to guarantee support and buy-in at the highest levels of government.
-
Ensure the full resourcing of the National Action Plan Against Racism by setting aside money in the Budget for the implementation of the Plan.
-
Ensure the monitoring, review and evaluation of the National Action Plan annually; to be done in full partnership with ethnic minority communities.
-
Ensure that the National Action Plan is iterative in nature; that it does not come to an end without a successor Plan, so that there are no policy gaps in combating racism and racial discrimination “
DOWNLOAD THE PRESS RELEASE (PDF)
ENDS
Notes to Editor:
INAR’s timeline on developments relating to hate crime, since the 2000 commencement of the Review of the 1989 Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act, can be found here.
The Irish Network Against Racism INAR (formerly ENAR Ireland), who coordinate a network of over 180 civil society organisations in Ireland, have pioneered the iReport.ie racist incident reporting system since 2013, logging thousands of hate crimes and racist incidents, and producing from their data cutting edge reports and policy submissions to national and international reporting bodies, government and media. Its complete periodic reports on racism can be found here . INAR is also an active member of the European Network Against Racism (ENAR), a network of 160 organisations from 30 European States. INAR submits data reports and other submissions to Government, National Authorities, European Union, OSCE, Council of Europe and UN bodies on racism and discrimination in Ireland. INAR prepared and presented the Irish Civil Society collective Shadow Report to the UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination hearing on Ireland in November 2019. INAR has also contributed to the Future of Policing in Ireland report, and numerous other policy submissions, including advising on the development of the National Action Plan Against Racism (NAPAR).
INAR produces regular reports on racist hate speech, hate crime and discriminatory incidents recorded through its iReport.ie racist incident reporting system. Figures for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 are consistent with an underlying increase in the trend in reported incidents as well as continued growth in serious incidents, including violent crimes. In previous years, the growth in serious incidents was recorded against a marked increase in racist hate speech by political figures, and an explosion in race hatred in social media.
The iReport.ie hate crime reporting platform can be accessed online. While the iReport App, is available for Android and iOS devices on the INAR website. The App is aimed at members of minority groups who experience racism, as well as their allies and advocates, encouraging the latter to ‘speak up’ and make racism visible. It is also available to download here.
The Coalition for the Implementation of the National Action Plan Against Racism Ireland (CINAPAR) is made up of 20 civil society organisations including organisations representing communities affected by racism and racial discrimination in Ireland: AIDS Care Education & Training (ACET), Asian Alliance Ireland, Doras, Dublin City Community Cooperative, Dublin City Interfaith Forum, IAmIrish, Irish Association of Social Workers, Irish Baha’i Community, Irish Council for Civil Liberties(ICCL), Irish Council For International Students(ICOS), Immigrant Council of Ireland, Islamic Foundation of Ireland, Irish Network Against Racism, National Traveller MABS, NASC-the Migrant and Refugee Rights Centre, National Youth Council of Ireland, New Community Partnership, Spunout, Traveller Visibility Group Cork, Outhouse.