The Government will this week face questioning by the United Nations about its efforts at tackling racism.
Minister of State Frank Fahey will lead the Irish Government delegation for the meeting in Geneva, which will take place oWednesday and Thursday. The meeting is part of Ireland's obligations under the UN Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (Cerd).
Mr Fahey is likely to face tough questioning as the first Irish Minister to appear before the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Ireland ratified the convention in 2000 and the Government submitted its first national progress report to the UN early last year.
Though it published its National Action Plan Against Racism earlier this month, the Government was severely criticised by up to 40 NGOs in their "shadow report" on Cerd. Also submitted to the UN, the shadow report said Government policies were "fuelling rather than containing racism".
"The Government not only fails to acknowledge the seriousness of racism in Ireland today but on occasion seeks to deny its existence," says the shadow report.
"In addition, policies it has introduced have acted to increase racism, and statements it has made have reinforced the perception that many migrants are 'bogus asylum-seekers' or are here for 'citizenship shopping'."
The submission of a "shadow report" is facilitated as part of UN procedures and officials meeting Mr Fahey are likely to draw heavily on the shadow report.
Those NGOs behind the shadow report are known collectively as the NGO Alliance and will also send representatives to Switzerland. Among them will be the Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC), the Irish Travellers' Movement, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Integrating Ireland and the Migrant Rights Centre.
Though they will not take part in the formal sessions involving Government officials and the UN, they will meet UN rapporteurs. The president of the IHRC, Dr Maurice Manning, said he was looking forward to the meetings.
"We look forward to the dialogue that will take place between the Government and the Cerd committee and to the publication of the committee's observations, which we hope will spur the Government to take on a stronger and proactive role in the struggle against racism."
The programme, Planning for Diversity, says it will protect minorities against racism while obliging government bodies such as local authorities, health services and schools to adapt their services and policies to accommodate minority groups. It has an annual budget of €1 million and will be overseen by a monitoring committee.
It says it will resource ethnic minority groups to participate in the plan.
The NGO Alliance said, however, it would remain to be seen whether the plan would make a decisive impact on racism. "It must really move things forward," said the alliance. "The plan needs to demonstrate clear targets, timelines and accountability, along with real legislative and statutory change."
