Ahern challenged on Government determination to combat racism

The Taoiseach condemned racism when asked about a recent petrol-bomb attack on a church hall in Dublin.

Mr Ahern said such attacks worked against equality for people in the State, adding that a high-level steering group was implementing a three-year strategy on anti-racism and interculturalism, as well as working on a public awareness campaign.

"The group's programme, as announced, is to act as a catalyst to stimulate public awareness and understanding of cultural diversity, and to help create the conditions to make it more difficult for racism to exist."

The matter was raised by the Labour deputy leader, Mr Brendan Howlin, who said the attack was one of a growing pattern of assaults and other incidents. He said there was no national campaign on anti-racism, despite £4.5 million being allocated towards it.

Mr Ahern said a high-level group, representative of all the organisations involved, was established and was dealing with the issue with the Government's support.

"Ireland is committed to combating racism in all its forms," he said.

He said the Government had put in place a comprehensive range of legislation to tackle racism and promote human rights. It had introduced the Human Rights Bill and another human rights Bill was due this session.

The Government had also supported the European conference on racism, organised by the Council of Europe. He was happy, he said, that the Minister had put in place a good committee, representative of minority groups, to deal with the issue.

"It is doing its work as well as it can. The highest proportion of asylum-seekers probably reside in my area, and I see the work the committee is doing in trying to help and integrate them. I support the campaign."

Later, on the adjournment, Ms Frances Fitzgerald (FG, Dublin South East) accused the Government, and particularly the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr O'Donoghue, of failing to launch the public awareness campaign.

"Last October, we were told a figure of £4.5 million had been set aside for this campaign, which was to begin before Christmas. Why has nothing whatever happened since then?"