On today, the International Day against Racism, Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre stands in solidarity with all who experience racism in all its forms everywhere. We call for urgent action at every level – locally, nationally and globally for its elimination.Today marks one year since the launch of the Government’s National Action Plan Against Racism (NAPAR). The action it calls for to recognise and address the racism embedded throughout our system is now more urgent than ever. We welcome recent efforts to establish the Advisory Group on Racism and Racial Equality, which will be tasked with monitoring and helping to progress the implementation of the NAPAR and look forward to supporting its implementation. “This is important now more than ever as anti-Traveller racism remains a major issue and the past year has seen a very worrying rise in anti-Roma racism”, said Martin Collins, Co-Director, Pavee Point. “Pavee Point calls for immediate action on hate crime and more direct and accessible measures in support of the victims of such crime and the groups it seeks to discriminate against and hurt. This includes the urgent advancement and implementation of the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022.”“The need to address systemic racism in Ireland remains a key issue as recently highlighted by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR),” said Co-Director, Lynsey Kavanagh. “The publication of the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy is urgently needed and if resourced and implemented, can provide an opportunity to do this, and make real progress towards equality for Travellers and Roma in relation to access, participation and outcomes across policy areas.”
