‘Policing and Racial Discrimination in Ireland: A Community and Rights Perspective’ is a report that highlights and details the perceptions and experiences of racial discrimination in Ireland of people from ethnic minority communities when interacting with members of An Garda Síochána. Using community-based participatory approaches to research, workshops were held with the affected communities. This approach has shaped the themes explored in this report and the recommendations that have stemmed from this. 

SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

• While each participant had their own unique experiences, and experiences were uneven, participants were critical overall where their perception was of unfair treatment of members of racialised groups by Gardaí.
• The effects of racial profiling led participants to feel unsupported, unprotected and unrepresented by Gardaí.
• Participants noted the lack of diversity among Gardaí and felt that this may influence actions towards members of racialised groups.
• The findings align with the limited existing research in the area of racial profiling in Ireland by human rights bodies such as the EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency and the UN Human Rights Committee. This underscores the need for more in-depth and detailed research from State and non-State bodies into the experiences of minoritised communities with the criminal justice system generally, and for racial profiling specifically