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Minister says Ireland has "a problem coming to terms with difference"

The Minister of State for Equality, New Communities and Culture, discussing the recent attacks on...
Newstalk
Newstalk

17.47 29 Oct 2014


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 Minister says Ireland has &am...

Minister says Ireland has "a problem coming to terms with difference"

Newstalk
Newstalk

17.47 29 Oct 2014


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The Minister of State for Equality, New Communities and Culture, discussing the recent attacks on Roma families in Waterford, has said he believes Ireland has "always had a difficulty with difference".

Chairing a discussion on hate-crime legislation in Ireland, the Minister described last weekend’s protest in Waterford outside the home of a Roma family as "a cowardly act" and also put the issue of racism, and coming to terms with difference, in the broader context of Irish history.

The Minister's words came ahead of an anti-racism protest in Waterford, being held this evening.

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Looking back to the history of division in Ireland, and issues in coming to terms with difference, Mr O'Riordáin said he believed Ireland continues to suffer from an ability to accept difference.

“We’re an island nation, we’ve had difficulty with the Unionist community in the North, we’ve had difficulty with the Traveller community, who’ve always been a part of this nation," Mr Ó’Ríordáin said.

“We have splits and divisions all across Ireland and we have always had a difficulty with difference and in the past we’ve incarcerated difference and we’re still doing it in terms of Direct Provision. I’ve been to quite a number of Direct Provision centres and it is clear to me that our love affair with incarceration and institutionalisation persists.

“We used to have 250,000 people in Ireland in mental institutions, we’ve done it in Magdalene Laundries, we’ve done it in Industrial Schools, and we’re still doing it.

"So we do have a problem with coming to terms with difference. We now have a situation in Ireland where a lot of people from different countries who are here, who are working here, who want to be part of the Irish nation and want to contribute and I think we have to come to terms with that, to celebrate it and move on.

“But to suggest that one particular cultural identity is holding us back or more involved in criminal activity than another is wrong. If anybody in a different country was to say that all of the Irish are, whatever — you can guess what the negative stereo types are of the Irish abroad — we would reject that outright and we have to do the same for whatever new communities there are in Ireland," Mr Ó’Ríordáin said.

Speaking with Newstalk Lunchtime earlier today Mr Ó’Ríordáin spoke at length about his perception of the protests, saying they were “little more than a lynch mob.”

“I’ve been listening to the debate around it and some apologists for the protest, which I have described as little more than a lynch mob.

“If people have issues around criminality and the business leaders have issues around criminality and they are focusing on a particular community they think are involved in it, a very simple thing to do is talk to the gardaí,” Mr Ó Ríordáin told Newstalk Lunchtime.

A crowd of approximately 200 descended on two houses of Roma families in the Manor Street area of Waterford city. The demonstration was reportedly sparked by a Facebook page under the name ‘Get them Out of Here’. The demonstrators have claimed the action was rooted in a frustration over a spate of crimes in the area recently.

Gardai had to get the Roma families to safety as the protests became violent, smashing windows and knocking a door in.

One man was arrested but was later released without charge.

The actions have been condemned by a number of politicians. Mr Ó’Ríordáin said the Roma families were chosen as a soft target and the same approach would not have been taken against “a group or individual who was able to defend themselves or was from the local area.”

“The reason they chose this particular community, the Roma community, is because they knew it was a soft target,” Mr Ó’Ríordáin said.

“All of us know ... certainly most people in Ireland would know the hideouts or the living circumstances of criminals or people involved in anti-social behaviour. But it’s very rare that there’s ever marches on their door,” Mr Ó’Ríordáin said.

Mr Ó’Ríordáin said the Roma community are a vulnerable target for such actions because “they have little access to mainstream media, they have little political power. They’re ... perceived as being weak and vulnerable.”

Mr Ó’Ríordáin was today chairing a roundtable discussion on hate crime and admitted that the current legislation – the 1989 Incitement to Hatred Act – “hasn’t really had any major effect.”

Today’s discussion was convened with the aim of identifying loopholes in current legislation.

“My view would be that I don’t believe our legislation in this area would be strong enough,” Mr Ó Ríordáin said.

Speaking ahead of today’s event, Mr Ó Ríordáin said:

“Events this week in Waterford expose once again the need for examination of legislation in this area. It is clear for example that the 1989 Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act is not fit for purpose.

“We need to strive to live in a Republic free from hate crime and prejudicial targeting because of one's ethnic background, sexual orientation, gender or disability. We need legislation to set the threshold of decency in that regard. “

Today’s discussion coincides with a new research project conducted by the Hare and Hostility Research Group at the University of Limerick. It is funded by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) and will look to provide a resource for the process drawing up new legislation on hate crime in Ireland.


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