‘No lessons’ have been learned from the Holocaust as anti-Semitism is on the rise in Ireland, according to a former Justice Minister.

Holocaust Remembrance Day is being held across the country, in a week-long commemoration beginning today.

It will remember the six million Jewish people murdered during the Holocaust between 1941 and 1945.

'Discrimination'

Alan Shatter said Jewish people are being discriminated against in Ireland today.

“I’m hugely concerned that no lessons have been remembered from the Holocaust,” he told Newstalk.

“Significant things are happening in Ireland at the moment which are causing enormous concern.

“There’s been a substantial escalation in antisemitism, Jewish people are being targeted and Jewish people are suffering discrimination.”

The memorial to Jews murdered during the Holocaust, in Berlin. Image: eye35 / Alamy Stock Photo

The former Justice Minister also hit out at Irish politicians for ignoring the threat of Hamas to Israel.

“I’d ask them when addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, to stop ignoring the fact that Hamas is a genocidal organisation, intent not simply on the eradication of the Israeli state, but intent on killing Jews globally,” he said.

“Unfortunately, and very tragically, the narrative the Government and opposition parties are using ignores that in its entirety.”

Main image: Former justice minister Alan Shatter. Image: Pic Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie