Groups working with immigrants and "new ethnic minorities" in the Republic are more fragmented and less involved in decision-making than their counterparts in the North, a new report has found.
The all-Ireland study, conducted by researchers at UCD's Geary Institute, identified major differences in the way in which immigrant groups are treated on both sides of the Border. In Northern Ireland, such groups had "stronger working relationships" with statutory bodies.
"There is no ethnic minority or immigrant-led council or umbrella group" in the Republic, the report continued. "Nor is there a Government-level race equality forum like that in the North. The report, Diversity, Civil Society and Social Change in Ireland, which was published yesterday at Dublin's Royal Irish Academy, also indicated funding was more readily available to immigrant groups in the North than in the Republic.
Whereas the Northern Ireland Office recently announced a €2.6 million three-year funding programme for diversity-related activities, the Government awarded €250,000 under its National Action Plan Against Racism.
On the plus side for the Republic was a higher degree of formal political participation. Several candidates from immigrant communities ran in last year's local elections, and two were elected.
Such activity was reported to be "less realistic" in the North, despite the fact that immigrant groups there were "more directly active in governance structures".
