The racially motivated assault of an English tourist in Dublin city centre last weekend has provoked calls for the close monitoring of such hate crimes. Gardai do not have records of racially motivated crimes, which antiracism groups say would help in planning how to tackle them.
A recently-published survey by the African Refugee Network found that more than a third of African refugees in Dublin had experienced verbal or physical abuse. The National Consultative Committee on Racism and Inter culturalism said the analysis of data from the monitoring of racially motivated hate crimes could provide "invaluable information" on their extent.
The committee, which advises the Government on anti-racist initiatives, said responses to address such crimes could be based on the information gathered through a monitoring programme. Its director, Mr Philip Watt, said the Government should review existing criminal legislation to see whether it was sufficient to cope with racially motivated crime.
"The Garda's PULSE data collection system has the potential to categorise crimes on a racially motivated basis and we would urge its implementation as soon as possible," he said. The committee's calls were echoed by the Irish Refugee Council.
The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, last night condemned the attack on Mr David Richardson on Pearse Street, and expressed his regrets to his relatives and friends. He said he would "ensure that the Garda Commissioner is given all the resources necessary to bring to justice the perpetrators of such mindless acts of violence".
The leader of the Labour Party, Mr Ruairi Quinn, said the "appalling and mindless attack" was "a slight on us all". Neither our education system nor our civic culture had prepared people for immigration. "They must do so in the future. Increasingly our Irishness will have to be presented in a broader and more global context."
The Anti-Nazi League has organised a rally today at 6 p.m. on Pearse Street in protest at the attack on Mr Richardson. "The constant stream of false information and hysteria over immigration has created a climate where physical attacks on immigrants are rising at a disturbing rate," a league spokesman, Mr Simon Basketter, said.