THE NUMBER of race crimes reported in Ireland is rising faster than in the rest of Europe, according to the EU’s watchdog on racism and xenophobia.
Between 2005 and 2006, the agency found there was an 85 per cent increase in officially recorded racist crime. The Garda recorded 174 incidents of race crime in 2006 compared to just 94 a year earlier. This reflects a continuing upward trend over the past six years, with a 31 per cent rise reported between 2000 and 2006, says the annual report of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights.
The report details trends in racist crime in the 11 EU states which keep comparable statistics, and monitors the situation of fundamental rights all across the union. Tracking police statistics on racist crime in 2005/2006, it found an 85 per cent rise in Ireland, a 54 per cent rise in Slovakia, a 14 per cent rise in Germany and an 11 per cent rise in Britain.
When the figures are compared over a six-year period between 2000 and 2006, Ireland records the second-highest jump in recorded racist crimes – 31 per cent, compared to a 59 per cent increase in Denmark. The report stresses that the low absolute crime figures in Ireland and Denmark mean a smaller increase in incidents can lead to a higher percentage increase. It also says some states have less comprehensive data collection systems in place than others. For example, Britain’s system is described as “tier one” or “comprehensive”, while the Irish system is “tier two” or “good”.
In Northern Ireland, there were 936 racist incidents and 746 racist crimes recorded between April 2005 and March 2006. In the following year, the number of racist incidents was 1,047 and racist crimes rose to 861.
Between April 2005 and March 2006, there were 1,470 sectarian crimes recorded in Northern Ireland by the police. This fell to 1,217 sectarian crimes in the following 12 months, the report states.
It recommends that all 27 EU states improve their collection of data on racist crime: “It remains the case that there has been very little improvement in member states’ mechanisms for recording racist crime . . . By acknowledging and effectively addressing the problem of racist crime, EU member states can demonstrate their condemnation of these acts and their solidarity with victims.”
More generally across Europe, the report says Roma and asylum seekers suffer the worst excesses of discrimination in employment, health, education and housing.