The National Consultative Committee on
Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI) was established in 1998
and is an independent expert body, primarily funded by the
Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, focusing
on racism and interculturalism. This is the 15TH NCCRI News,
a monthly e-bulletin, designed to provide relevant and up
to date information in the areas of anti-racism and interculturalism.
If you have information about events, campaigns, initiatives
or publications etc related to racism and interculturalism
in Ireland, we would like to hear from you. Please
note that the email bulletin goes out the second week of
each month.
To send information or to subscribe/unsubscribe
to this email bulletin, please send email to jacqueline@nccri.ie.
NCCRI, 20 Harcourt St, Dublin 2. Tel. 01-8588000. Fax: 01-4785778.
You can access previous email bulletins at www.nccri.ie
under “News”.
Contents
1. Policy and Legislative
Updates
- Government Legislative Programme
- Judicial Review Leave Granted to Nigerian National
- Launch of Healthcare plan to accommodate 200,000 from
ethnic minorities
- Ireland’s Report to CERD
- Spousal Work Permits Scheme
- Call for Submissions
- Chen Judgement
- Council of Europe launches recommendation on fighting
anti-Semitism
- EU Asylum Policy
2. Upcoming funding deadlines
- The National Action Plan Against Racism Grants Scheme
for Anti-Racism Initiatives
- EU-Funding
- Media Challenge Fund 2004 for radio, print and new
media
3. Upcoming events and initiatives
- Anti-Racist Workplace Week 2004
- Human without rights: asylum seekers in the 21st century
- European Constituency Meetings with MEPs
- Human Rights and the Workplace: City Bridges Seminar
- Creating Connections: health inequalities in Ireland
- Italian EU Daphne projects looking for Irish Partners
- Conference: Understanding Islam
- European Discrimination Truck Tour
- Race and State conference – Call for Papers
- Identity, Diversity and Citizenship Seminar Series
Autumn 2004
- 4th Evens Prize for Intercultural Education
- Different Voices on RTE Radio 1
4. Jobs/Training
- EUMC Tender on Comparative Analysis on Roma, Sinti,
Gypsies and Travellers
- Tender Opportunity: ICBAN
- Research Assistant (Studentship)
5. Publications and Resources
1. Policy and Legislative Developments
Government Legislative Programme
The government legislative schedule for
autumn 2004 can be accessed at www.taoiseach.gov.ie/index.asp?locID=186&docID=-1
Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Amendment) Bill
2004
The Citizenship Bill, which sets out the citizenship rights
of children born here to non-nationals is due to be enacted
before Christmas. The Bill, to give effect to the result
of the citizenship referendum held earlier this year, was
published at the end of September by the Minister for Justice,
Mr McDowell. It says a child may become an Irish citizen
if at least one of its parents has been legally resident
here for more than three years. Groups which campaigned
against the proposal in May raised immediate concerns that
time spent in this State or Northern Ireland, as either
a student or an asylum-seeker, could not be counted when
calculating a person's period of residence here.
Among the other main provisions of the Bill are that where
one of its parents is a British citizen, a baby born on
the island will be entitled to citizenship irrespective
of the duration of stay of the parents, and that a baby
born on the island to non-national parents, where one is
on a diplomatic posting here, will no longer be entitled
to citizenship.
Many groups including the NCCRI have said there was now
no reason not to regularise the status of the estimated
11,000 non-EU parents of Irish children who applied for
residency based on the birth of a child here, before the
Supreme Court decided in January 2003 that people could
not automatically claim Irish residency on this basis.
For further information and to view the
Bill see www.justice.ie/80256E01003A02CF/vWeb/pcJUSQ65AJNU-en
For observations on the Bill see www.immigrantcouncil.ie
or www.ihrc.ie
Judicial Review Leave Granted to Nigerian National
The High Court ruled in October that a Nigerian mother may
bring a legal challenge to the decision of the Department
of Justice, Equality and Law Reform not to consider her
claim for residency on the basis of the scheme abolished
in February 2003. Her application was made two weeks before
the scheme was abolished. The Department later announced
in July that it would not be considering outstanding applications
made before the 19th of February 2003. Judge Geoghegan ruled
that the Nigerian national had established substantial grounds
to support her claim that she had a legitimate expectation
to have her application for residency determined in accordance
with the administrative scheme which was abolished in February
2003. The full hearing of this case is due to take place
before Christmas.
Launch of Healthcare plan to accommodate 200,000
from ethnic minorities
An estimated 200,000 people from many ethnic minority groups,
over 100 countries and 160 nationalities are now living
in Ireland, speaking 80 to 100 languages. The new 19-point
plan to improve the health care and personal social services
provision of ethnic minority communities in the eastern
region was developed by the Eastern Regional Health Authority
(ERHA). There are three main pillars in the strategy, including
the development of an interpretation service, support and
resourcing of non-governmental organisations to work in
partnership with people from ethnic minority communities
so that their own skills and expertise inform health-service
planning. For a copy of the plan contact the Eastern Regional
Health Authority on Tel. 01-620 1600 or email erha@erha.ie
Ireland’s Report to CERD
Ireland’s report is due to be examined in the 66th
session (21 February-11 March 2005) before the Committee
of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial
Discrimination. The secretary of the CERD Committee has
advised the NCCRI that NGOs interested in submitting a shadow/alternative
report should do so well in advance, preferably by the 14
January. 40 copies of the report are required. If groups
cannot meet the 14 January deadline, it is advisable to
send 20 copies one week prior to the meeting (i.e. 14 February).
The NCCRI in association with the Human
Rights Commission will hold an information seminar on CERD
with the secretary of the CERD Committee, Ms. Natalie Prouvez,
on Monday 22nd of November 2004 in the
Parnell Room, Jury’s Inn, Parnell Street, Dublin 1.
Interested parties must book in advance.
Please contact Jacqueline Healy, NCCRI Jacqueline@nccri.ie
or Mary Ruddy, IHRC, mruddy@ihrc.ie
Spousal Work Permits Scheme
An Tánaiste recently announced the introduction of
new arrangements which will be confined to the spouses of
certain categories of non-EEA employees in the State. These
new arrangements will give greater ease of access to employment
for eligible spouses, under specified schemes and facilities.
The Spousal Work Permits Scheme does not generally cover
the spouses of persons working in the state on foot of work
permits. For more information
www.entemp.ie/labour/workpermits/elements/swps.htm
Call for Submissions
The National Economic and Social Forum (NESF) has recently
established a Project Team on early childhood care and education.
Submissions to the Team can be made in writing or by email.
More information is available by Tel. 01-814 6361 or on
www.nesf.ie. Closing date
for receipt of completed submissions is Friday 12th of November
2004.
An Garda Siochana are also seeking submissions
for their Policing Plan 2005. Submissions must be forwarded
by November 1st 2004. The Policing Plan 2004 is available
on their website at www.garda.ie
EU Developments
Chen Judgement
In May 2004, the Advocate General of the European Court
of Justice (ECJ) gave his opinion in the Chen case, holding
that a minor who is a national of a Member State is entitled
to reside in another Member State provided that he or she
is covered by sickness insurance and has sufficient resources
to ensure that, during their stay, they do not become a
burden on the public finances of the host Member State.
He also found that, the mother of the EU citizen must be
able to invoke a right of residence deriving from that of
her young child because otherwise the child’s right
would be entirely deprived of effectiveness. The opinion
of the Advocate General was upheld by the ECJ. For details
of the case see www.curia.eu.int/en/actu/communiques/index.htm.
For more information on the implications of the judgement
for Ireland, contact ICCL or the Immigrant Council of Ireland.
See www.iccl.ie/minorities/race/04_chencaseruling.html
Council of Europe launches recommendation
on fighting anti-Semitism
In September the European Commission against Racism and
Intolerance (ECRI) of the Council of Europe launched a set
of recommendations to governments across Europe on how to
fight anti-Semitism. ECRI's ninth General Policy Recommendation
follows the recent rise in anti-Semitic behaviour in many
European countries, and is addressed to all 45 CoE member
states. Among other things, ECRI urges governments to prosecute
people who deny, trivialise or justify the Holocaust; make
sure that racism laws apply to antisemitism on the internet,
satellite television and other modern forms of communication;
offer targeted training on antisemitic crimes to police,
prosecutors and judges; encourage victims of antisemitism
to come forward, and effectively monitor how their complaints
are followed-up and provide anti-racist education at all
levels in schools. The full text of the recommendation can
be found at www.coe.int/ecri
EU Asylum Policy
ARGO
ARGO is a new action programme for administrative cooperation
at EU level in the fields of asylum, visas, immigration
and external borders. It partly replaces the Odysseus programme.
It aims to promote cooperation between national administrations
responsible for implementing EU rules, promote the uniform
application of EU law and encourage transparency of actions
taken by the national authorities and to improve the overall
efficiency of national administrations in their tasks The
programme supports training, staff exchanges, studies and
conferences.
EU list of safe third countries
EU Member States are struggling to agree on the countries
that should be on a common "white list" list from
which asylum applications will be presumed to be unfounded.
The current list includes the following countries: Benin,
Botswana, Cape Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Ghana, Mali, Mauritius,
Senegal and Uruguay. Member States will be able to add other
countries to their national list but they will not be able
to remove countries from the Euro-list, even for humanitarian
reasons. For more information see www.statewatch.org,
www.amnesty.org www.ecre.org
www.unhcr.ch on the future
direction of EU asylum policy.
2. Upcoming Funding Deadlines
The National Action Plan Against
Racism Grants Scheme for Anti-Racism Initiatives
The National Action Plan Against Racism (NPAR) will be published
later this year. The overall aim of the plan is to provide
strategic direction to combat racism and to develop a more
inclusive, intercultural society in Ireland based on policies
that promote interaction, equality of opportunity, understanding
and respect. To support the aims of the plan, the Department
of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in association with
the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism
(NCCRI) have announced a grant scheme to enable organisations
to raise awareness about racism and highlight cultural diversity
in Ireland.
The initiative should seek to focus on
at least one of the five themes of the NPAR, which are Protection,
Inclusion, Provision, Recognition and Participation. For
more information please see www.nccri.ie
or Tel. 01-8588000 info@nccri.ie
EU-Funding
The Community Action Programme in the field of
Education SOCRATES
www.enar-eu.org/en/funding/calls.shtml
Promotion of Active European Citizenship - Support to non-governmental
organisations, associations and federations of European
interest
www.enar-eu.org/en/funding/calls.shtml
Media Challenge Fund 2004 for radio,
print and new media
Development Cooperation Ireland, the Government's
official development assistance programme, invites applications
from media outlets, journalists, photojournalists and development
education organisations for grants for radio, print and
new media projects, which are designed to increase awareness
and understanding of global development issues. Closing
date for applications is 5 pm Friday 19 November 2004. An
information workshop will take place on 27 October 2004
at 11.00 am. Application forms are available at www.dci.gov.ie/grants_media.asp
For further information contact: Development Education Unit,
Development Cooperation Ireland, Bishop's Square, Redmond's
Hill, Dublin 2. Phone: 01.408 2096 Email: stephen.donnelly@dfa.ie,
website: www.dci.gov.ie
3. Upcoming Events and Initiatives
Anti-Racism in the Workplace Week
2004
On November 1st to November 7th 2004 the Equality Authority,
Congress, CIF, IBEC, Chambers of Commerce Ireland, IFA,
Small Firms Association and Department of Justice, Equality
and Law Reform will organise enterprise initiatives to celebrate
cultural diversity and to encourage a commitment to anti
racism in the workplace. For more information and posters
on this initiative contact the Aoife Joyce, Equality Authority
on 01-4173333. www.equality.ie
The launch of Anti-Racist Workplace Week will take place
on Monday 1st of November at the Equality Authority with
the launch of a new publication “Promoting Equality
in Intercultural Workplaces”.
Human without rights: asylum seekers
in the 21st century
An exhibition of photographs by David Levene of the Guardian
Newspaper, brought to Belfast by the Law Centre (NI) and
Refugee Action Group as part of Belfast Festival at Queens.
Venue: Law Centre (NI), 124 Donegall Street, Belfast. From
Saturday 23 October to Saturday 6 November, 10 am to 4 pm.
Closed: Tuesdays and Sundays.
European Constituency Meetings
with MEPs
EAPN Ireland is organising a series of round-table meetings
with Members of the European Parliament during the week
of 1-5 November. The idea is to provide a forum within which
MEPs can meet with and deal with issues raised by community
and anti-poverty groups and organisations in different constituencies.
Date |
Constituency |
Venue |
1 November |
South |
Cork |
2 November |
North & West |
Galway |
3 November |
Dublin |
Dublin |
4 November |
East |
Drogheda |
5 November |
Northern Ireland |
Belfast |
Further information, leaflets and registration
forms are available from EAPN Ireland Tel: (01) 874 57 37.
Human Rights and the Workplace:
City Bridges Seminar
City Bridges in partnership with the Irish Congress of Trade
Unions and the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers
Union is holding a half day seminar on Human Rights and
the Workplace on Thursday 28 October 2004 in the Carrickdale
Hotel, Dundalk from 10am to 1.00pm. Keynote speakers are
Keith Ewing, Professor of Public Law at Kings College, London
and Ivana Bacik, Reid Professor of Criminal Law, Criminology
and Penology at TCD. Attendance at the seminar is free.
For further information please contact City Bridges at Tel.
01-878 7272.
Creating Connections: health inequalities
in Ireland
A two day conference organised by NIPHA and PHAI in association
with the Institute of Public Health in Ireland on the 24th
and 25th November 2004, Glenroyal Hotel, Maynooth. Speakers
include Mary Robinson, Ron Labonte, Charles Secrett, Jane
Wilde and community activists. For further information see
www.ie/ce/active.php?id=1949
(Source: Community Exchange).
Italian EU Daphne projects looking
for Irish Partners
A network of Italian social cooperatives (CONEDIS) is promoting
two Daphne projects and is looking for Irish Partners. The
first project is about preventing violence against children
in Travellers/Roma community. If you are interested in contributing
to these two projects please contact Piergiulio Poli emaileu@conedis.it
(Source: Community Exchange).
Conference: Understanding Islam
The Chester Beatty Library presents two days of lectures
by renowned specialists in Islamic Studies from Ireland,
UK, North America and Germany. The conference is open to
general public as well as to students and scholars of Islamic
studies. It will take place from Monday 6 December to Wednesday
8 December in Dublin Castle. Cost: euro 80/50 (concession).
For further information log onto www.cbl.ie
European Stop Discrimination Truck
Tour
The European Anti-Discrimination Truck Tour, which aims
to inform people about EU anti-discrimination laws will
visit Ireland this week. The truck was in Cork on 16 October
and will be beside the Civic Theatre, adjacent to the County
Library in Tallaght on the 23rd of October from 12-5pm.
For more information on the tour see www.stop-discrimination.info
Race and State conference: Call
for Papers
Conference organised by the MPhil in Ethnic and Racial Studies,
Department of Sociology, University of Dublin, Trinity College
in association with the British Sociological Association's
Race and Ethnicity Study Group, and the Sociological Association
of Ireland (SAI). 30-31 March 2005 Emmet Lecture Hall, Arts
Building, Trinity College Dublin. Papers may be theoretical
and/or empirical but should engage with the proposition,
central to the conference aims, that 'race' as a political
idea and modern racism may not be fully conceptualised without
consideration of the nature of the modern, Western state.
Please send 150 words abstracts by 1 November 2004, to the
MPhil in Ethnic and Racial Studies, email rlentin@tcd.ie,
or to Alana Lentin, email alana.lentin@queen-elizabeth-house.oxford.ac.uk
Identity, Diversity and Citizenship
Seminar Series Autumn 2004
This series is part of the Contemporary Irish Identities
project within the Identity, Diversity, and Citizenship
Research Programme in the Institute for the Study of Social
Change (ISSC). You may find more information about the programme
and its projects by following this link:
www.avataronline.net/issc/sections/research.shtml
Wednesday, November 10th Fidele Mutwarasibe, Immigrant Council
of Ireland “Excuse me, I’m Irish and African
(Black)”; Wednesday, November 17th Abel Ugba, Department
of Sociology, Trinity College Dublin"Between God, Ethnicity
and Politics: African Pentecostals in 21st century Ireland"
4th Evens Prize for Intercultural Education.
The Evens Prize awards a project that contributed to the
integration of European citizens in the field of intercultural
education. The laureate receives a sum of 25.000 EUR, the
second selected 10.000 EUR and the third prize 5.000 EUR.
A second financial injection can be foreseen in year 2.
More information on the Evens Foundation and the former
Evens Prizes for Intercultural Education can be found on
their website www.evensfoundation.be
Different Voices on Radio 1
RTE Radio 1 will broadcast Different Voices on Saturdays
at 7pm in October, November and December. Different Voices
celebrates diversity in a changing Ireland. The first programme
is scheduled for the 23rd of October at 7pm. For further
information on the schedule email Sandra.byrne@rte.ie
4. Jobs/Tenders
Tender on Comparative Analysis on Roma,
Sinti, Gypsies and Travellers
Call for Tender on Comparative analysis on Roma, Sinti,
Gypsies and Travellers in public education. Ref. EUMC 2004/02/13
eumc.eu.int or Supplement
of the Official Journal of the European Communities (S-183)
Deadline: 3rd November 2004.
Tender Opportunity: ICBAN
The Irish Central Border Area Network (ICBAN) is inviting
innovative tenders for the delivery of a modular, capacit programme targeting 47 participants from local
authorities, trade unions, the farming sector, the community
and voluntary sector, those dealing with issues of anti-poverty,
social inclusion and equality, business people and central
government departments. The programme will enable participants
to engage in macro policy level issues pertinent to the
ICBAN area, networking with each other through dialogue
and practical exercises relating to policy and practice
and establishing long term networks orientated around key
strategic issues for the area. For detailed terms of reference
contact the Joining Up Development Co-ordinator, ICBAN on
Tel. 048 6634 0719 or grainne@icban.com
Research Assistant (Studentship)
Trinity College Dublin is currently seeking a Research Assistant
to work on a project on Global Music Networks as part of
a wider research programme on Global Neworks located in
the Institute for International Integration Studies at Trinity
College, Dublin. The person appointed will be expected to
carry out research on the global social networks created
around music by immigrant communities in Ireland. For further
details, please email bbradby@tcd.ie.
5. Publications
Immigrant Council of Ireland: Voices
of Immigrants: The Challenges of Inclusion. Available
from the Immigrant Council of Ireland. www.immigrantcouncil.ie
Refugee Information Service: Annual
Report 2003. Available from RIS Tel. 01-838 2740
or on www.ris.ie
National Children’s Advisory Council:
The end of term report 2001-2004. Available
from NCAC on Tel. 01-664 1929 or www.ncac.ie
Pavee Point: The Eist Manual Ar
an mBealach: Diversity and Equality Training Manual for
Early Childhood Trainers. Available from Pavee
Point at 01-878 0255.
Pavee Point: Four Traveller Jigsaws
for use in early childhood and primary settings
Available from Pavee Point at 01-878 0255.
Eurydice Information Network: Integrating
Immigrant Children into Schools in Europe A survey covering
policy, legislation and statistics at national and EU level.
Report on Ireland
www.eurydice.org/Doc_intermediaires/analysis/en/migrants.html
National Women’s Council of Ireland
In From the Margin Project: Women Creating Change.
Available from the NWCI on Tel. 01-878 7248 or info@nwci.ie
AONTAS: Women Learning: An Era
of Change Conference Report. Available from AONTAS
on Tel. 01-406 8220. www.aontas.com
Independent Law Centres Network: Celebrating
the European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003: Airey
v Ireland 25 Years On. Available from FLAC at info@flac.ie
or Tel. 01-874 5690.
Merchant Quay Ireland: Drug Use
Among New Communities: An Exploratory Study. Available
from MQI www.mqi.ie
Drogheda Community Forum: Dispelling
the Myths: Research on Displacement from Northern Ireland
to Drogheda at the outset of the Troubles and the Subsequent
lessons learned from this experience. 2004.
European Commission: 2005 work
plan on non-discrimination. See europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/
fundamental_rights/prog/index_en.htm
Dug Cubie / Fergus Ryan: Immigration,
Refugee and Citizenship Law in Ireland: Cases and Materials.
Available to purchase from Thomson Round Hall. Tel. 01-6625301
or info@roundhall.ie
Tallaght Partnership: Annual Report
2003. Available from Tallaght Partnership on Tel.
01-4664 280 or info@tallpart.com
Department of Justice, Equality and Law
Reform: Annual Report of the Equality for Women
Measure 2003. Available from the Department of
Justice.
Department of Social and Family Affairs:
Leaflet SW108 on the Habitual Residence Condition.
www.welfare.ie/publications/hrc.html
Equality Authority: Online Work
Tools Directory. Available at www.equality.ie/search.htm
Educate Together: Learn Together:
An Ethical Educational Curriculum for Educate Together Schools
www.educatetogether.ie
Department of Health and Children: Guide
to Work Permits for Spouses of Employment Permit Holders.
www.doh.ie/publications/perspous.html
Department of Health and Children Annual
Report of the Inspector of Mental Hospitals. September
2004. www.doh.ie
Commission for Racial Equality: Public
Authorities and Partnerships: A Guide to the Duty to Promote
Race Equality. For a copy Tel. 0870 240 3697 or
download from www.cre.gov.uk
Diversity Matters: Hate Crimes
– Briefing Paper September 2004. Available
from Diversity Matters, Disability Action. Tel. 01-028 9029
7880. www.disabilityaction.org
Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD): OECD Thematic Review of
Early Childhood Education and Care Policy in Ireland.
July 2004. Available on www.oecd.org
or from the Department of Education and Science
ENAR-Publication: Combating Religious
and Ethnic Discrimination in Employment
www.enar-eu.org/en/publication/index.shtml
ENAR-Publication: Mainstreaming
Equality in European Union Law and Policymaking
www.enar-eu.org/en/publication/index.shtml
European Monitoring Centre on Racism and
Xenophobia (EUMC): Comparative Education Study.
Available on www.eumc.eu.int
Sonas Housing Association: Safe
Home. 2004. Available from Sonas Housing Association
at Tel. 01-874 5217.
Health Development Agency, Institute of
Public Health in Ireland and Programme for Action for Children
in Ireland: Youth Suicide Prevention. Targeted interventions
for youth suicide among ethnic minorities, those with disabilities
and other minority youth groups need to be developed and
evaluated.
Department of Education and Science Working
Group: Internationalisation of Irish Educational
Services www.skoool.ie/skoool/parents.asp?id=3215
A Multi-Cultural Society A Symposium,
organised by Carol Coulter of the Irish Times and the Centre
Culture Irlandais www.centreculturelirlandais.com
Co Monaghan Citizens Information Centre: A Booklet
for the Guidance of non-EU and non-EEA Nationals in Co.
Monaghan. For a copy please contact Monaghan CIC
on Tel. 047-82622.
Irish Traveller Movement/NUI, Cork: Travellers
Accessing Third Level Education. A promotional video.
Available soon from the Irish Traveller Movement at Tel.
01-679 6577
European Council on Refugees and Exiles:
Comments on Future Orientations for an Area of Freedom,
Security and Justice and comments on the Council Communication
on a more efficient common European asylum system and on
the Commission's Communication on 'Improving access to Durable
Solutions'. All the documents are available at:
www.ecre.org
Institute of European Affairs: Europe
Re-United: A Constitutional Treaty. Available soon
from the IEA.
Justice and Home Affairs Tampere
Consultation papers, the public consultation in view of
the definition of a new Multi-Annual Programme in the area
of justice and home affairs. Now available on the
Commission's web-site, at the following address.
europa.eu.int/comm/justice_home/news/consulting_public
/tampere_ii/news_contributions_tampereii_en.htm
Useful Websites
- Latin America Solidarity Centre updated website www.lasc.ie
- www.femmigration.net
is a website offering an easily accessible and easily
comprehensible explanation of the most important legal
information concerning trafficking in women, and concerning
migration to the sex industry in the EU.
- Northern Ireland Anti-Racism Network (ARN) new website
at www.arnni.tk
- Love Music Hate Racism & Unite Against Fascism
www.lmhr.org.uk
- European conference on media and diversity, Tuning
in to Diversity 2004 www.tuning2004.nl
- Ruhama, an Irish NGO that works with women involved
in prostitution. Website www.ruhama.ie
