Accountability gaps in Government ‘rising anti-migrant sentiment’, report finds

By Cillian Sherlock, Press Association

There are gaps in accountability for addressing racism across Government departments, according to a new report.

A report by Ireland’s special rapporteur on racial equality and racism has recommended mandatory anti-racism training across the civil and public service and mandatory annual reporting in Government departments.

Dr Ebun Joseph’s annual report on the National Action Plan Against Racism, published on Wednesday, also calls for explicit recognition of anti-black racism in line with EU standards and a reaffirmation of whole-of-Government responsibility for racism.

Seven of 18 Government departments did not submit monitoring reports to the rapporteur and cited limited direct responsibility.

The report says this weakens the whole-of-Government intention of the plan.

The Departments of Agriculture, Climate, Defence, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Taoiseach, and Transport reported that they had no direct role in implementing the NAPAR.

Implementation remains procedural rather than transformative

However, the special rapporteur said this overlooks the whole-of-Government design of the action plan, which places obligations on all public authorities, all Government structures, and all public sector employers around interpreting services, reviews of legislation, and anti-racism training.

Joseph’s report also finds that structural and intersectional racism persists, with significant disparities in employment and education outcomes.

She says that hate speech legislation remains outdated and that data collection on racism and ethnicity remains insufficient.

One of the other key findings is that “rising anti-migrant sentiment and far-right activity pose increasing risks to social cohesion”.

Joseph said: “Ireland has established an important framework to address racism.

“However, the first year of monitoring shows that implementation remains procedural rather than transformative.

“The weaknesses identified — including uneven departmental engagement and gaps in accountability — require stronger leadership, sustained resourcing, and full buy-in across Government to ensure that commitments translate into real change in people’s everyday lives.”

The report states that rising anti-migrant sentiment posed a threat and arose out of attacks on international protection applicants and arson against accommodation centres, increasing deportations, and mixed signals on the benefits of migration.

It said there was a growing far-right presence and rhetoric, both online and in public spaces.

It added that, under the Department of Justice, “critical gaps remain” in community trust, racial-profiling oversight, migration policies, renewed deportations, living conditions of asylum seekers, internal diversity and delays in updated hate speech legislation.