Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls.
I want to begin by thanking Garret Mullan of Show Racism the Red Card for his invitation to attend and speak at this event. I had the pleasure of being at last year’s exhibition as well and it is good to see that the same high standard of work is attained each year. I want to congratulate all who have participated in this competition. What is important is that each one of you has worked to give expression in a highly creative form to the message of tolerance and respect, thus advancing its acceptance in Irish society and, especially, among young people.
In a sense, the end product from your participation in this Competition is not just your exhibit. It is also the work you put in to it, your reflection on racism and intolerance and on your own attitudes and those of society to different groups, to newcomers and to people who differ from us in terms of race, religion or ethnicity or, indeed, in other ways. More generally, the very act of participating in a project like this teaches us how to focus on a goal and co-operate with colleagues in attaining it.
Show Racism The Red Card, which Garret leads, uses the theme of sport to challenge racism in society. Show Racism The Red Card has been fortunate in getting the support of sporting bodies and sports men and women to spread the message. Indeed, an example of that is the fact that today’s event takes place in the Aviva Stadium and, also, the presence of distinguished sports personalities here and at previous exhibitions.
The entries on display here today reflect very well your talent and motivation and your engagement with the anti-racism cause. Credit must go too to the teachers involved as I know it will be at your initiative in most cases that young people are encouraged to take an interest in this subject and to work towards realising a project concerning it. I hope that you will continue this work in future years with new pupils because it can contribute in a powerful way to building the tolerant community we all want to see.
Apart from the quality of the entries, it is encouraging too to know that participation in the competition is growing year on year. Last year, 140 schools and youth services took part and this has increased to 205 this year. When you consider that just 62 schools participated in the 2009-2010 Competition, it is clear that the project is spreading the anti-racism message to an ever wider audience of young people.
This is why I am happy that my Department has been able to provide funding for the Competition over the past number of years and, even in these difficult economic times, I am glad that I was able to approve a grant of €36,000 for the current Competition which is up from €27,000 on the previous occasion.
There has always been a need in Ireland to speak out and combat racism and related intolerance. This was true even before significant inward migration began about a decade and a half ago. But, it is this recent migration, reflected in the 12% non-Irish share of the population in the 2011 Census, that has had a transformative impact on Irish society – and, for the better. Persons of non-Irish origin are playing an increasingly important role in many walks of life, not least in sport, and have greatly enhanced the social, cultural and economic fabric of our society.
The issue of combating racism is also part of a bigger concern which is how do we effectively integrate immigrants in Irish society to the benefit of the immigrant and the host community. The increasing diversity of Ireland’s population presents at the same time challenges for us all. It is important that Ireland remains a nation which welcomes those who have already settled here and will do so in the future. It is equally important that we adapt to the increasingly diverse nature of Irish society.
I believe we need to give a new impetus to the measures we are taking in this regard. For this purpose, I have recently launched a review of our approach to the integration of immigrants. This review will provide the basis for a new and updated integration strategy in keeping with the Government’s commitment to the integration of immigrants. My Department has invited written submissions from interested parties on any aspect of integration policy, with a closing date of 9 May next, and these will be considered in the course of the review.
I would like to emphasise that this invitation is directed at individual persons, organisations, immigrants, members of the host community, in short anyone who has something to say on this subject.
What will be important will be that the new integration strategy should be geared to present and expected future conditions and drive integration work forward at a local and national level, thus responding to the needs of our increasingly diverse society.
I have outlined the work we are engaged on in relation to the integration strategy so that as many people as possible are aware of what is happening and that anyone who may wish to do so can make a submission. Details of how to do this are on www.integration.ie.
For today, however, we have the satisfaction of viewing this exhibition and taking on board the insights offered into the dangers of racism and intolerance and how these can be overcome. I warmly commend everyone involved including Show Racism The Red Card for organising the Competition, everyone who helped them in this, such as sporting bodies, sporting figures and sponsors and especially the schools and youth services, teachers and pupils who took part.
Thank you.