A review announced more than two years ago of a "problematic" law aimed at punishing people who incite hatred has shown little sign of progress, a weekend conference on racism heard.
Amnesty Ireland's legal officer, Ms Ursula Fraser, described the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989 as "problematic."
It was very difficult to initiate a prosecution under it, and there had been few convictions to date, she said.
"The former Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform announced a review of the Act in September 2000, but there has been little sign of progress."
She suggested ways to improve the law, including replacing the requirement that the words are likely to stir up hatred, which was a potent emotion, with "hostility".
This more diluted word might make it easier to prosecute people under the Act, she added.
Ms Fraser was speaking at a Dublin conference on Racism on Saturday organised by the Green Party.
A Nigerian writer and journalist based in Dublin, Ms Josephine Olusola, told participants she was assaulted by a man aged about 70 six months ago and learned only recently that he is to be prosecuted with the "lowest assault charge, common assault".
Ms Olusola said the man had verbally abused her on a busy shopping day on Meath Street in the south inner city.
When she turned to ask him why he had made the remarks, he punched her in the face.
"He had drained me of every ounce of dignity, any pride that I had about being who I am, being black," she said.
She told the conference that she apprehended the man and held on to him until gardai arrived.
Surrounded by crowds of shoppers, Ms Olusola said that she "felt like an animal in the middle of a circus."