Anti-racism plan was seen as model for others to follow

BACKGROUND:USHERED INTO existence at a well-attended press conference by then taoiseach Bertie Ahern and minister for justice Michael McDowell in January 2005, Ireland's first national action plan on racism was considered by many as a model for others to follow.

The 150-page Planning for Diversity was the result of commitments made to the UN and the social partners, and was a clear demonstration, Mr Ahern said, of the government’s commitment to adapt policy to shifting demographics.

With an annual budget of €1 million and a steering group comprising representatives of government, employers, unions and advocacy groups, its aims were to protect minorities against racism, accommodate diversity in State services and allow all minority groups to participate fully in society.

On December 31st last, after four years and 25 meetings, its mandate finally came to an end, and its steering group steps down amid a very different mood to that of early 2005.

The group’s frustration is clearly discernible in the words of Lucy Gaffney, its chairwoman for the past four years. While she points to notable successes – the adoption of diversity strategies by the HSE and the FAI, and impressive efforts on ethnic liaison by the Garda – there is clear concern at the approach of Government to integration and anti-racism, with the Department of Education drawing special criticism for being slow to put policies and procedures in place. The term “anti-racism” has all but disappeared from official rhetoric, she points out. “While there is now some focus on integration – albeit without any plan – it’s nearly as though anti-racism is done now. As if, ‘we’ve stamped that out’,” Ms Gaffney said.

“We are in economic decline, and a lot of people are going to become increasingly vulnerable. Without any focus on anti-racism strategies, I fear there will be damage done, and it will cost more to repair the damage than it would to prevent it in the first place.”

The greatest fear, she says, is that there is no strategy to build on the work done. “They have done a lot of research, they have a committed Minister, but it’s time that they got off the fence and put all of his research into a plan.”