Annex
Conclusions and
Recommendations
We have no illusions that hate crime will be dispelled
overnight. However, if Northern Ireland is to establish a fully
normal society these despicable and brutal attacks must cease.
It is up to the Government, the churches, the institutions of
civil society, and every single individual in their daily lives,
to take collective responsibility for ensuring that these appalling
activities are eradicated by all means possible. (Paragraph 6)
Noted, and addressed in government response paper.
We are pleased to note a clear intention on the
part of the PSNI and the Northern Ireland Policing Board to take
account of increasing racial and homophobic attacks. We welcome
the continuing targets contained in the Northern Ireland Policing
Board and the Police Service of Northern Ireland Policing Plan
2005-2008 to monitor the number of racist and homophobic crimes
and incidents. (Paragraph 11)
Noted, and addressed in government response paper.
Nothing could illustrate the dysfunction of Northern
Ireland society better than the absence, until recently, of an
agreed, official definition of sectarian hate crime. The process
of social normalisation, marked by the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement
in 1998, has enabled society to begin slowly to get to grips with
a number of problems which were set aside over the past decades
by the overwhelming concentration on the armed conflict. In many
respects Northern Ireland's institutions are now having to relearn
their basic functions as society returns, slowly and painfully,
to normal. It is good news that, at long last, the PSNI has established
a definition for sectarian hate crime as an essential basis for
the proactive policing of these unacceptable activities. (Paragraph
14)
Noted.
It is high time that the police and criminal justice
system in Northern Ireland took with the utmost seriousness crimes
against the most vulnerable in our society. Many attacks on people
with disabilities appear to be rooted in the perception of the
attacker that the victim's disability indicates some essential
difference which provides a licence to discriminate. This is
an utterly false perception which must be challenged head-on.
We are pleased that the Government has accepted our advice to
take legislative steps to label such actions for what they are,
hate crimes, and to make available to the courts appropriate sentencing
powers. (Paragraph 19)
Noted, and addressed in government response paper.
The fundamental responsibility for creating a
decent society rests not only with the Government and the courts
but also, and crucially, with individuals in their day to day
lives. We hope that the normalisation of society in Northern
Ireland which is taking place gradually will manifest itself at
individual level in the reduction and disappearance of actions
by misguided individuals which make the already challenging lives
of those with disabilities infinitely more trying and stressful.
(Paragraph 20)
Noted, and addressed in government response paper.
There appears to be general agreement that hate
crime in Northern Ireland is on the increase, and is subject to
significant under-reporting. (Paragraph 22)
Under reporting of hate related incidents is recognised
as a significant issue. The number of hate incidents reported
to police continues to rise and it is believed that this is, in
part, due to a greater confidence within minority communities
and a direct result of the considerable efforts in recent years
of the Police Service to engage with minority groups and communities.
The Police Service continues to develop and explore
further opportunities to maximise the reporting of incidents.
The introduction of on-line reporting through the PSNI website
provides a further opportunity for victims to report incidents
and this can be done anonymously. This further complements existing
reporting mechanisms such as Crimestoppers and third party reporting
through a number of LGBT groups. The Police Service is also a
member of the NIO multi agency hate incident reporting project.
The Government considers that "enforcement
action by the Police Service of Northern Ireland will continue
to be the key to tackling hate crime". We agree that, while
by no means the sole response called for, police activity will
be a crucial factor in bearing down on hate crime offences. It
is essential that the PSNI gives this form of crime a high priority
and its success will be judged ultimately by the number of successful
prosecutions. (Paragraph 23)
Noted, and addressed in government response paper.
The figures supplied by the PSNI indicate a disturbingly
low clearance rate for racial and homophobic incidents relative
to other similar crimes. In both categories, less that 7% of
incidents recorded as crimes by the police resulted in a charge
or summons, including complainants who declined to prosecute.
It is good that the PSNI and the Policing Board have set targets
in the recent policing plan (2005-2008) to increase the clearance
rate for racist and homophobic crimes and to establish a baseline
clearance rate for crimes motivated by sectarianism and crimes
against persons with a disability. However, putting these measures
in place is only a start, and the PSNI must now do everything
possible to demonstrate a commitment to improve the clearance
rate for homophobic and racist crimes. The Policing Board must
monitor the PSNI's performance closely. (Paragraph 30)
During 2004/2005 the Police Service cleared 15.9%
of all racially motivated crimes and 22.5% of all homophobic crimes.
The detection rate in respect of racially motivated crime fell
by 1% whilst the clearance rate for homophobic crimes rose by
4.7%. The Police Service will continue to maximise its efforts
to increase these clearance rates and recognise this as being
a crucial confidence issue within minority groups.
Whilst the clearance rates are low the Police Service
have during 2004/2005 charged, summoned or cautioned (sanctioned
clearances) a greater percentage of perpetrators compared with
2003/2004. Sanctioned detections for racially motivated crime
increased by 2.4% and homophobic by 6.5%
The 2005-2008 Annual Policing Plan contains two targets
relevant to this recommendation;
Target 4.9.1 "To
increase the clearance rate for racist/homophobic crimes"
Target 4.9.2 "To
establish a baseline clearance rate for religious and sectarian
motivated crimes and crimes against persons with a disability".
The NI Policing Board will monitor PSNI performance
against these targets and all other Annual Policing Plan targets
quarterly at a meeting in public of the full Board. The Policing
Board will also publish an assessment of PSNI performance against
these targets for the 2005/06 year in the NIPB Annual Report in
June 2006.
We are greatly concerned about the very low level
of confidence which members of the LGBT and most minority ethnic
communities have in the PSNI. While we recognise the steps taken
by the police to develop more effective relationships with them,
both communities expressed deep concerns about the extent to which
the PSNI are taking hate crime attacks seriously. Much more needs
to be done by the PSNI to increase the confidence of the communities
and to build more effective relationships with them. This will
require great patience and commitment, and progress is likely
to be gradual, but we expect the PSNI to take the lead decisively
to effect discernable, positive changes. The Government must ensure
that adequate resources are made available to the PSNI for this
purpose. (Paragraph 38)
The Police Service of Northern Ireland fully recognise
the importance of continuing to build trust and confidence with
minority communities. The substantial increase in reports to police
is evidence of a growing confidence in the Police Service on the
part of minority communities. A considerable number of reported
incidents relate to non-crimes which traditionally the Police
Service did not receive and this is believed to be a direct result
of the established relationships, recognised commitment and publicity
campaigns such as the recent 'Hate Crime is Wrong', during January
and February 2005.
The Police Service is very aware of the seriousness
of many attacks, the impact on victims and the wider implications
for minority communities. The increasing diversity within Northern
Ireland has created a greater risk of hate related incidents and
the Police Service will continue to work tirelessly to ensure
that incidents are prevented or, when they do occur, are responded
to appropriately, and that victims receive a positive and effective
response.
The Police Service is presently consulting, internally
and externally, on the new Service Hate Crime policy. This policy
aims to ensure that all hate related incidents are identified,
recorded and investigated in an appropriate manner and that victims
are supported accordingly. Training and effective supervision
of all investigations will be essential to ensure that this policy
document becomes a reality for victims of hate incidents.
The Police Service will continue to work in partnership
with Government, voluntary and statutory agencies to ensure that
it responds effectively and appropriately to hate related incidents.
We welcome the steps taken by the PSNI to improve
its training strategy to take account of the growing problem of
hate crime in Northern Ireland. However, in order to ensure it
has a fully responsive strategy, the PSNI must take advice from
key representative organisations which provide support to the
victims of hate crime. The police need to ensure that their existing
training programmes are implemented throughout the organisation,
and that representatives of the minority ethnic and LGBT populations
are actively involved in providing that training. It must ensure
that the revised hate crime policy is comprehensive and takes
into account the increase in the scale and diversity of the minority
ethnic and the LGBT population across all parts of Northern Ireland.
(Paragraph 42)
Consistent and effective training is essential to
ensure that every member of the Police Service can respond appropriately
to hate incidents and their victims. The Service has for a number
of years used individuals from within minority ethnic, LGBT and
disability groups and support organisations to deliver and develop
training at the Police College and within local Districts.
The Police Service recently established an internal
Diversity Unit to develop policy and guidance on Diversity matters
and secured EU funding for a joint PSNI / An Garda Síochána
Diversity Training pack. This pack is being developed in partnership
with members of minority representative groups in the North and
South. Assistant Chief Constable Judith Gillespie, Criminal Justice
Department, has recently been appointed as the ACPO lead on Hate
Crime. An internal evaluation of related training will be conducted
to identify gaps or areas of inconsistency.
The Police Service Disability and Minority Ethnic
Independent Advisory Groups and the Belfast LGBT Forum have provided
an additional opportunity to develop training and advise policy
development.
As we have said, the responsibility for combating
these crimes is the equal responsibility of each police officer
in Northern Ireland. It is vital that the policing of minorities
is not itself 'ghettoised' by being seen within the police service
as the exclusive preserve of Minority Liaison Officers. Rather,
the MLOs must be trained as the leaders of police locally in combating
these crimes. (Paragraph 43)
The responsibility for investigating hate related
incidents is undertaken by front line officers or Detectives in
appropriate cases. The Minority Liaison Officer's role is to provide
additional support to victims and to proactively engage with minority
groups within the District. Minority Liaison Officers receive
additional training to enable them to provide advice to investigating
police.
Whilst the Minority Liaison Officer has a specific
role in respect of hate related incidents, it is the duty of every
police officer to ensure that Service policy is implemented and
that all victims receive the appropriate support and assistance.
Article 2 of the PSNI Code of Ethics states that 'Police Officers
shall treat all victims of crime and disorder with sensitivity
and respect for dignity. Police officers shall consider any special
needs, vulnerabilities and concerns victims may have'. Breach
of the Code of Ethics is a disciplinary offence.
It is crucial that the PSNI is more representative
of all communities in Northern Ireland. We believe that this will
help increase the confidence which the communities have in the
PSNI and will increase the effectiveness of the PSNI in dealing
with hate crime. We recommend that the PSNI and the Northern Ireland
Policing Board take the necessary steps to secure higher levels
of recruitment from the minority ethnic communities to the PSNI
as a matter of priority. (Paragraph 46)
There have been seven completed recruitment campaigns
conducted since the inception of the Police Service of Northern
Ireland in November 2001. During these campaigns 411 minority
ethnic applicants applied with 45 being screened out at the initial
stage. Of the remaining 366, 21 successfully completed the recruiting
process, which resulted in 4 appointments. The Police Service
has commissioned independent research into the views and attitudes
of potential applicants from minority ethnic groups. This research
will take the form of focus groups with individuals drawn from
these particular backgrounds.
The NI Census indicates that 0.85% of the population
are from a minority ethnic background and applicants from these
groups who apply in percentage terms of the available labour market,
actually exceed those from the white population on each of the
recruitment campaigns. However it must be recognised that the
numbers to date are small and any increase or decrease in recruitment
could have an impact on the percentage of applicants.
In addition to extensive advertisement, school visits,
web-site, information and community events, the Police Service
also engage with 59 minority ethnic community groups by providing
information packs and posters during each of the recruiting campaigns.
Work is also ongoing to identify and remove potential obstacles
during the selection process for minority ethnic applicants.
The legislation set out in Section 46 (50:50) of
the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 has not had a major impact
on the numbers recruited from a minority ethnic background.
We welcome the steps taken to establish support
associations within the PSNI for ethnic minority officers and
members of the LGBT community, and expect the PSNI to demonstrate
full support for them. (Paragraph 47)
The Police Service has awarded a development grant
to each of the support associations and has provided office accommodation
within the Police College. The establishing members have been
provided with facilitator's time to further develop the associations.
A formal launch of the two associations is planned for later this
year.
It is deeply worrying that many minority communities
do not have full confidence in the police, particularly against
the background of increased incidence of hate crime. This situation
must be changed rapidly. Better reporting systems, the police
hate crime policy, and the introduction of performance targets
in the Policing Plan, offer a good opportunity to measure the
extent of hate crime and to monitor the performance of the police,
but these measures are only a beginning. The PSNI must set itself
to work closely with other statutory agencies and victim support
groups to improve general confidence in the reporting system,
address reasons for underreporting and unwillingness to prosecute,
to demonstrate the commitment of every police officer to protect
vulnerable groups. (Paragraph 48)
The Police Service has sought to make itself as accessible
to minority groups as possible and recognise that many victims
will not wish to go directly to police. The Police Service recently
introduced (January 2005) on-line reporting through the Service
website - www.psni.police.uk
This was introduced during the recent 'Hate Crime is Wrong' campaign,
which aimed to encourage victims and witnesses to come forward
to police.
Third party reporting is available through a number
of representative organisations and it is hoped that this can
be further developed along with the multi agency reporting system
presently being developed. Many key statutory agencies and minority
victim support groups are involved in the development of this
project.
Whilst the Police Service would seek to encourage
victims to provide sufficient details to support an investigation
if these are not forthcoming the matter will still be recorded
and will assist in identifying and preventing further incidents.
The Police Service remains determined to fully investigate
all hate related incidents and where possible secure sufficient
evidence to prosecute offenders. The new Service policy (subject
to consultation) proposes that all hate related investigations
are supervised from the outset and that every investigation will
be reviewed by a senior officer after 28 days and the victim updated
of any progress.
A performance target has been agreed with the Northern
Ireland Policing Board in respect of increasing detection rates
for crimes of a racial and homophobic nature. Progress against
this target is monitored at the Policing Board's public meetings
between the Chief Constable and the Board.
Targets have also been agreed in relation to the
establishment of a baseline clearance rate for disability, religion
and sectarian motivated crimes.
We welcome acceptance by the Policing Board that
hate crime is a growing problem. We expect the Board's hate crime
research projects on policing and the minority ethnic and LGBT
population to make recommendations to the Chief Constable that
will improve the reporting of all types of hate crime and increase
the confidence which minority communities have in the policing
authorities overall. (Paragraph 51)
This recommendation refers to research which has
been jointly commissioned by the NI Policing Board and the Office
of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland into the views of
Minority Ethnic and Lesbian, Gay and Bi-Sexual communities on
the new policing arrangements. The research is well under way
with publication of the final research reports expected in the
Autumn 2005. Both research projects are being overseen by Steering
Groups on which the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities
(Patrick Yu) and the Coalition On Sexual Orientation (James Knox)
are represented.
While we were disappointed by the initial lack
of response by some criminal justice agencies in Northern Ireland
to our inquiry, our probing has demonstrated that the agencies
appear to be aware of the problem and are taking some action to
make their staff aware of it and to provide training. These are
initial steps only and the agencies need to sustain a robust and
coordinated approach in order to keep awareness of their staff
high. We recommend that the NIO takes the lead in ensuring that
all the training provided is founded on common principles; that
there is collaboration between the agencies in delivering training;
and, in particular, that this is developed in conjunction with
the representative bodies of the minority communities. (Paragraph
55)
Government welcomes the acknowledgment of the Committee
that awareness raising of racial issues in general and hate crime
in particular has taken place and that specific training has been
provided within various criminal justice agencies. While each
agency must be free to develop its own training package to suit
the needs and requirements of its own staff, taking into account
their level of contact with the public, we agree there is a need
to ensure this is delivered in a consistent way. Given this, the
Government will refer this matter to the Criminal Justice Board
who will set in place systems to monitor this.
Using 'restorative justice' as a means of dealing
with the perpetrators of hate crime offers a number of potential
benefits. We were told that it helps to educate perpetrators,
repair relationships with victims, and offers a more constructive
approach to dealing with hate crime. The PSNI employ 'restorative
cautioning' for youth offending, and we recommend that the PSNI
and other criminal justice agencies explore the full potential
for developing a programme of 'restorative cautioning' for use
in dealing with the perpetrators of hate crimes. (Paragraph 57)
The Police Service recently introduced an Adult Diversion
Scheme. This scheme provides the opportunity to deliver any informed
warning to an adult restoratively, as is the case presently with
all juvenile offenders. The new Hate Crime policy proposes that
all informed warnings for hate related incidents will be delivered
in this manner.
Criminal Justice agencies have recently completed
a set of draft guidelines on the operation of restorative justice
in the community intended to establish a working relationship
between community restorative justice schemes and the criminal
justice system. The guidelines have been issued to community restorative
justice schemes for consultation.
Minority groups, and particularly victims, must
play their part: they must be encouraged to come forward and report
crimes against them. We appreciate fully how difficult it can
be to report such attacks. Victims may be fearful of the authorities
and "authority" in general, as a result of experiences
in their country of origin. They may not speak English (and we
heard from victims in this category), or may have language skills
they feel are inadequate. They may consider that, on the basis
of past experience, no action will be taken, however much they
press for attention. They may be fearful that they do not have
the sympathy of neighbours. They may be in the UK without official
permission. (Paragraph 58)
Noted.
It remains the case, however, that without victims'
reports, the police and the authorities can do little or nothing.
Worse still, the impression may persist that there is simply no
problem to address, or the problem is a minor one. This plays
into the hands of the perpetrators, encourages them in the belief
that they can commit these crimes with impunity, and stokes the
flames of prejudice and intra-community frustration. We expect
the minority communities to record and report attacks on them
and their members and instances of abuse as a matter of priority.
We had evidence that some groups were taking action on reporting,
and this is heartening. All groups must follow his lead. They
must use the law proactively, and take every opportunity to hold
the police and authorities generally, and their own elected representatives,
to account in investigating incidents, tracking down the perpetrators,
and obliterating this crime from Northern Ireland society. (Paragraph
59)
Noted.
Responsibility in Government for tackling hate
crime currently straddles the NIO and the OFMDFM. It is of vital
importance that this split between departments does not impair
the Government's ability to respond to the challenges presented
by hate crime in a unified and focused way. The involvement of
many voluntary groups such as the Northern Ireland Victim Support,
an organisation which receives core funding from the NIO to deliver
services to victims of crime, adds to the complexity of the position,
and increases the potential for a disjointed policy response.
We look to the Government to demonstrate that these dangers are
being avoided, and that the administration is working as one in
tackling this problem. (Paragraph 64)
Noted, and addressed in government response paper.
We are concerned by the failure of OFMDFM to produce
strategies which have a direct bearing on hate crime to agreed
timetables. While the recent publication in March 2005 of A Shared
Future, which sets out the Government's policy and strategic framework
for good relations is a first step, there remain other important
policy and strategy documents which appear stuck in the pipe-line,
for example, the racial equality strategy for Northern Ireland.
We have no reason to suppose that this relative failure indicates
a lack of determination by the Minister and officials to address
head-on the increasing problem of hate crime in Northern Ireland,
but these Government strategies are required as a matter of urgency,
and some are badly overdue. All outstanding strategies must be
published without delay: it is important to the credibility of
the Government that, when a deadline is set by it for the publication
of such documents, that deadline should be adhered to. (Paragraph
76)
The Racial Equality strategy for Northern Ireland
was published in July 2005. The complex nature of cross-departmental
coordination has had an impact on progressing from the public
consultation to publication of the strategy, as has the need to
take account of, and ensure compatibility with, the change in
overall direction of UK policy development which has seen the
proposed National Action Plan Against Racism now being incorporated
with the Home Office Community Cohesion and Racial Equality strategy.
It was considered that taking a little more time to "get
it right" would have the potential to produce more substantial
and positives outcomes. Following the close of the public consultation
on a draft race strategy the issue of migrant workers in Northern
Ireland came very much more to the fore and again this was considered
such an important issue that some time was needed to consult with
stakeholders and the Northern Ireland Racial Equality Forum on
this issue to ensure that racial equality issues in respect of
migrant workers are covered within the Racial Equality strategy.
The Gender Equality Unit within OFMDFM in association
with representatives of LGB people and other key stakeholders,
is currently developing a coordinated Strategic Sexual Orientation
Action Plan to identify and tackle issues and inequalities based
on sexual orientation. This Action Plan is to bring a specific
focus on issues experienced by gay, lesbian and bisexual people.
Where an inequality or disadvantage is explained mainly in terms
of a person's sexual orientation then it is to be expected that
the action to tackle that inequality will be included under this
action plan on sexual orientation issues and complemented, where
appropriate, by action under other strategies.
It will include current and future actions by the
Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the Department of Education
and the Community Safety Unit of the NIO to tackle homophobic
violence and issues arising from it. Monitoring and review arrangements
will be included. It will be issued for consultation in July
2005.
The formal consultation process on the Gender Equality
Strategy for Northern Ireland was completed at the end of February
2005. The Gender Equality Unit is currently considering the responses
and will publish a summary of these responses in August 2005.
The finalised strategy will be published in December 2005. The
strategy builds upon the Northern Ireland departments' mainstreaming
activities under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and
provides a framework for the use of positive action measures to
systematically tackle gender inequalities.
Key action areas identified in the strategy include
crime and community safety and gender related violence and abuse.
The action plan currently being developed will provide an agreed
set of objectives and targets to chart progress in promoting gender
equality and tackle gender inequalities across all government
departments' policies and practices in these key action areas.
Reporting and monitoring mechanisms under the action
plan will bring together the departments' activities to give a
wide picture of what they are doing to tackle gender inequality.
Work on developing a strategy to promote greater
social and economic inclusion of people with disabilities, is
on schedule for completion in 2006. This work involves a major
survey of people with disabilities in Northern Ireland to be carried
out in 2005. This research will offer an assessment of the experience
of the victimisation of people with disabilities.
The view of the Committee in relation to the role
of district councils is noted and Gender Equality Unit will liaise
with the Community Relations Unit to help identify inputs to the
Action Plan.
We recommend that, once in place, the strategies
are assessed objectively, and the results published regularly.
This will promote transparency, ensure accountability, and inspire
confidence in the groups most vulnerable to hate crime. (Paragraph
77)
Noted.
There must be no doubt about what we have found:
the absence of a strongly promoted "vision" for community
relations in Northern Ireland: an unacceptable slowness in policy
development: and little evidence that policies are delivering
real, "on the ground", improvements to the lives of
vulnerable individuals, all of which is resulting in dissatisfaction
amongst these groups and a deteriorating pattern of inter-community
relations. We are concerned that, despite officials' reassuring
words, present arrangements between OFMDFM and the NIO may be
insufficiently coordinated to act speedily in producing effective
strategies to combat hate crime. The Government must consider
what improvements are required to correct this unsatisfactory
state of affairs. (Paragraph 78)
The Policy and Strategic Framework for Good Relations
in Northern Ireland', was launched on 21 March 2005. It sets out
the Government's vision for the future of Northern Ireland, that
is,
"for a peaceful, inclusive, prosperous, stable
and fair society firmly founded on the achievement of reconciliation,
tolerance, and mutual trust and the protection and vindication
of human rights for all. It will be founded on partnership, equality
and mutual respect as a basis of good relationships."
A Shared Future outlines the fundamental principles
and aims which underpin how all of us, government, local authorities,
civil society, can work together to bring about the best shared
future between and within communities.
A future shared between and within the communities
of Northern Ireland (both old and new) is a reality.
The policy outlines how the illustrative practical
steps and actions, based on common fundamental principles, can
be co-ordinated across government and throughout civil society
to ensure an effective and coherent response to sectarian and
racial intimidation with the aim of building relationships rooted
in mutual recognition and trust. These will be developed into
detailed actions in the first triennial Action Plan on Good Relations
due to be published in Autumn 2005.
Government, as stated, is persuaded that only a focused
and co-ordinated approach to tackling hate crime and its related
issues has the potential to produce effective actions and outcomes
which will eliminate the scourge of intolerance from Northern
Ireland society. OFMDFM will take the lead in a partnership with
the NIO to ensure that a sustained focus on combating racism and
tackling the effects and causes of hate crime in Northern Ireland
is centrally incorporated within the roll out of government policy
initiatives covering, Good Relations, Racial Equality, Gender
Equality, Sexual Orientation, PSI Working Group on disability,
Community Safety, Neighbourhood Renewal, Victim Support.
Education is a most important area for action
in the field of community relations generally and, in particular,
a means of combating the underlying causes of hate crime. In its
day to day activity, the Department of Education needs to keep
firmly in mind the vision set out in the Belfast (Good Friday)
Agreement that 'An essential aspect of the reconciliation process
is the promotion of a culture of tolerance at every level of society,
including initiatives to facilitate and encourage integrated education.
(Paragraph 85)
The Government and the Department of Education take
the statutory duties placed upon them in relation to integrated
education seriously. In addition to the vision set out in the
Belfast agreement, since 1990 the Education Reform Order has placed
a statutory duty on the Department to "encourage and facilitate"
the development of integrated education. Under this legislation,
new integrated schools qualify for grants immediately provided
they meet the minimum viability criteria, which, following review
and reduction for primary schools in December 2000, are as follows:
15-pupil intake for new primary schools in Belfast and Londonderry,
12-pupil intake elsewhere; 50-pupil intake for post primary schools,
together with other specified criteria. In addition, procedures
are in place for transforming existing schools to integrated status
and these may be initiated directly by parents.
We are pleased to see important initiatives like
the Local and Global Citizenship which offers a real opportunity
to embed tolerance and understanding in the teaching and learning
of young people. But we are under no illusions that initiating
such projects equates to a successful outcome. The Department
must ensure that this good start is followed through vigorously,
and that the project is monitored regularly to assess its contribution
to the attitudes and behaviour of young people to hate crime.
(Paragraph 86)
To complement the Local and Global Citizenship curriculum
within the classroom, the Council for the Curriculum Examinations
and Assessment (CCEA) agreed to the Department's request to have
the term 'community relations' included in the curriculum at Key
Stage 3. Under Key Concept - Diversity and Inclusion, young people
should have opportunities to, among other things, 'Investigate
ways of managing conflict and promoting community relations and
reconciliation.' Also, 'Investigate the opportunities arising
from diversity and multiculturalism and possible ways of promoting
inclusion, for example, community relations work, shared festivals
and sporting events, integrated education etc'.
Schools which choose to explore any of these areas
on a cross community basis with a partner school should be able
to access funding through the Schools Community Relations Programme
(SCRP).
From September 2006 Local and Global Citizenship
will be included at the core of the Northern Ireland curriculum
and will be compulsory for all Post-Primary pupils. It has been
piloted for several years now and all Post-Primary schools will
have teachers involved in specific training by September 2005.
After 2006 the teaching and learning outcomes of
Local and Global citizenship may be assessed and reported on by
Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI), as part of their formal
programmed of inspections. The Department of Education together
with CCEA will continue to support teachers in promoting the key
principles of tolerance, equality and inclusion.
While it is difficult to quantify the direct impact
of Local and Global Citizenship on the attitudes of young people,
it may be possible to draw out some general trends from the Young
Peoples' Behavior and Attitudes survey carried out by the Northern
Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.
The issue of integrated education, which should
be in the front rank for
Departmental activity, appears to be given less
priority than it merits. We were struck by the evidence that,
while sixty per cent of people in Northern Ireland would prefer
to send their children to a mixed religion school, only five per
cent can do so currently. There may be many people who would not
wish to send their children to an integrated school. We respect
their right not to do so. However, the evidence is that very many
more wish to than there are currently places in school to accommodate
them. There is also evidence that integrated education can help
to heal sectarian wounds. We expect the Government to look with
renewed urgency at this issue, in particular, at how those who
wish take up integrated education for their sons and daughters
may do so without undue delay. (Paragraph 87)
The Government does not seek to impose any particular
type of education rather the Department of Education responds
to parental demand. It funds integrated schools that are robust,
do not involve unreasonable public expenditure and meet the specified
criteria.
There are at present 55 grant-aided integrated schools
in Northern Ireland (with a total enrolment of around 16,700 pupils
- around 5% of total pupils), made up of 37 grant-maintained integrated
schools (GMI) and 18 controlled integrated schools.
The Department also attaches conditions on religious
balance to new integrated schools. New GMI schools are required
to have a minimum of 30% of their enrolment drawn from the relevant
minority (Roman Catholic or Protestant) tradition. Existing schools
which have transformed to integrated status must attract 10% of
their first year intake from whichever is the minority community
before final approval is granted. These schools are then required
to demonstrate reasonable prospects of achieving, over the longer
term, a minimum of 30% of their enrolment drawn from the relevant
minority community.
The policy of open enrolment, as applied to all schools,
enables parents to state their preferences for the schools they
wish their children to attend. Schools admit pupils up to their
approved admissions and enrolment numbers, which are set by the
Department based on the physical capacity of their accommodation
or in line with the agreed long term enrolment.
The total number of places available in the integrated
sector in the 2005/06 school year for Year 1 pupils is 1,179 and
1,920 for Year 8 pupils. Information on applications for 2005/06
is not yet available.
However, in 2004/05 the total number of children
who expressed a desire to attend an integrated post-primary school
was 2252. Of these, 1960 were first preference applications and
the remaining 292 were subsequent preference applications. The
total number of pupils admitted to these schools was 1808 although
there were 1955 Year 8 places available in integrated schools
throughout Northern Ireland. In total 444 pupils who applied to
an integrated school did not receive a place (368 first preference
applications and 76 subsequent applications).
The pattern of admissions varies across Northern
Ireland with some integrated schools oversubscribed in relation
to their physical capacity. As with all popular schools, regardless
of type, it is not possible to provide places for all children
who wish to attend. Some integrated schools have unfilled places.
In 2004/05 12 out of the 19 post primary schools were undersubscribed
with first preference applications.
Underpinning all formal education is the crucial
role of parents in demonstrating to their children the great social
advantages of tolerance and respect for those with different backgrounds
and cultures. Parents should be made aware of research by the
education authorities which suggests that attitudes may be formed
at a particularly early age, and we look to the Department of
Education to take the lead in making this information widely available.
(Paragraph 88)
The Department, in conjunction with the education
and library boards, is developing a website to support the Schools
Community Relations Programme. While it is still being developed,
it is intended to provide links to anything relevant to the Programme
and this should include relevant areas of research. The Department
will be notifying all schools about the site and to how to access
it. Research by Paul Connolly and Julie Healey "Children
and the Conflict in Northern Ireland: The experiences and Perspectives
of 3-11 Year Olds is available on the OFMDFM website and can be
found at http://www.research.ofmdfmni.gov.uk/childrenandconflict.pdf
We welcome the evidence provided by the Northern
Ireland Housing Executive of a desire on the part of many people
to live in non segregated communities and trust that the Executive
will do everything possible to encourage this development while
respecting reasonable personal choice. We are impressed by the
way in which the Housing Executive and the Department for Social
development is adapting its long experience of dealing with sectarian
hate crime in housing to other forms of hate crime. We commend
this work, and would like to see these measures accelerated and
extended, particularly their pilot projects for integrated estates.
(Paragraph 93)
The Housing Executive has a duty to ensure housing
is provided on the basis of need. However there is no doubt that
community division and segregation exerts a high price which,
in housing terms, prevents the best use being made of existing
housing and land and limits the choice for those people who wish
to live in mixed areas. If housing need is to be met in all its
forms, progress must be made in providing choices for all who
need to live in affordable social housing. In this context the
promotion of good relations is a key Housing Executive objective
which will help in providing this choice.
With a wealth of experience at local level the Housing
Executive published its first community relations strategy in
March 2004. In doing so it made an explicit commitment in its
2004/2005 Corporate and Business Plan to promote good relations.
Among the Housing Executive's aims is a commitment to promote
mixed housing where it is practicable, desirable and safe.
The Housing Executive, as do all public bodies, has
a statutory duty in terms of Section75 (2) of the Northern Ireland
Act 1998. It can play a key role in promoting community relations
and community cohesion which will allow the identification and
successful implementation of mixed community housing areas.
To help ensure the success of these areas the Housing
Executive's strategic objective to promote good relations is linked
to the following aims:
· Responding
quickly and effectively to the needs of people in danger as a
result of community conflict.
· Working
in partnership with others to address the complex housing needs
of a divided society.
· Respecting
the rights of people who choose to live in single identity neighbourhoods.
· Facilitating
and encouraging mixed housing as far as this is practicable, desirable
and safe.
The Housing Executive's approach to delivering its
good relations strategy is set within five themes:
1) Flags, Emblems and Sectional Symbols
2) Residential segregation/Integration
3) Race Relations
4) Interface Areas
5) Communities in Transition.
Community cohesion depends ultimately on trust and
safety. While the delivery of this is beyond the remit of a single
agency, the Housing Executive will continue to make its contribution
through its policies, partnerships, investment and resource allocation
to speed up the pace of change.
In addition the Housing Executive and Queen's University
have started a unique survey of 600 households in a specific area
to identify what it takes to maintain and develop mixed communities.
The area chosen is an excellent example of a stable, mixed community
and this work will help understand better why certain areas remain
mixed and others do not thus helping to determine the ingredients
for developing and maintaining mixed communities. The information
will benefit communities elsewhere in Northern Ireland including
the pilot projects for mixed community housing. There are an estimated
400 applicants on the waiting list from a mixed background who
may wish to live in mixed community areas.
A key challenge for government is to build strong
cohesive communities. Northern Ireland as a society is
still too far away from achieving that aim. We need to build
upon our strong legislative and public policy frameworks to progress
our goal of a more equal and inclusive society. Law and order
will be a key cornerstone; organised crime and criminality must
be tackled, paramilitarism and the culture of violence to resolve
disagreement all must end.
Developing shared communities where people of all
backgrounds can live, work, learn and play together is a key action
of A Shared Future, as is the support and protection of existing
areas where people of different backgrounds live.
This will be evidenced through the joint working
between OFMDFM and colleagues in NIO, DSD, and the NIHE Community
Cohesion Unit to promote good relations and to provide stable
and safer neighbourhoods. Detailed actions will be contained in
the triennial Action Plan on Good Relations.
In Scotland the Crown Office and the Procurator
Fiscal Service have produced an analysis of charges brought in
the first six months under section 74 of the Criminal Justice
(Scotland) act 2003. We believe that a similar system of monitoring
the use of the Criminal Justice (No. 2) (Northern Ireland) Order
2004 would be beneficial. (Paragraph 100)
The Government accepts the Committee's recommendation
and will work with enforcement and prosecution authorities to
develop a similar mechanism for monitoring the effectiveness of
the Criminal Justice (No. 2) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004.
We welcome the introduction of the Criminal Justice
(No. 2) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 and the inclusion of crimes
against the disabled as a category of hate crime. We recommend
that the PSNI, the Policing Board and the NIO closely monitor
the effectiveness of this new legislation. Importantly, prosecutions
need to attract widespread media attention to act as a deterrent
to others that hate crime will be robustly tackled by the criminal
justice system. (Paragraph 101)
As stated in the response to the Committee's recommendation
at paragraph 29, the Government will work closely with the relevant
authorities to ensure that the effectiveness of the legislation
is monitored. The Government supports the Committee's recommendation
that successful prosecutions are effectively publicised and where
possible the Police Service will seek to highlight increased sentencing
in these cases to provide a deterrent to potential perpetrators.
But more than messages are required. The law will
be another "dead letter" unless the enforcement authorities,
primarily the PSNI, use it vigorously. We expect them to do so.
As we have pointed out earlier, the authorities have considerable
ground to make up in persuading vulnerable groups that their concerns
are being addressed seriously. This legislation is an opportunity
to demonstrate that such legitimate concerns will be addressed.
Those involved in the criminal justice system must not fail this
test. When our successor committee looks next at this subject
we hope that there will be a sound record of action as a result
of this Order. (Paragraph 102)
The Government accepts the Committee's recommendation.
The relevant criminal justice authorities will work collectively
and individually to ensure that the public have confidence in
the legislation.
We thoroughly endorse the Government's emphasis
on the important role which local authorities have in the promotion
of community harmony and driving out hate crime. Without the collaboration
of local authorities it is difficult to see how any measures promoted
by the central Government can succeed. (Paragraph 104)
Noted.
The Committee welcomes the work of local authorities
to promote the quality of community life through community relations
programmes directed against sectarianism. Many of these programmes
are small scale but have a disproportionately large and positive
impact. We commend those local authority officers who are responsible
for putting them into practice and call on their councils to do
all in their power to support and further their efforts. It is
vital that these programmes continue, and that funding for them
is secure. We look to the Government to ensure that this is the
case. (Paragraph 108)
In recent years, OFMDFM has invested around £1.9M
per annum in the District Council Community Relations Programme.
As a result of the outworking of A Shared Future
the current programme will be phased out and replaced with a permanent,
better-resourced and focused programme where the chief executive
and elected members, along with dedicated good relations staff,
play an active role in developing outcomes.
The new scheme will be called the Good Relations
Challenge Programme and will be managed by the re-shaped Community
Relations Council. It will be established by 2007.
Good relations cannot be developed through the delivery
of events alone, nor by narrow service delivery. Local councils
need to demonstrate political and administrative agreement on
local policies and plans for good relations. Community / Good
Relations Officers should be central to council priorities and
directly accessible to the Chief Executive. For these arrangements
to take root it will be important for the Community /Good Relations
Officers to have the support to develop innovative programmes
and networks external to the council. They should also have access
to support from the enhanced Community Relations Council.
Full details, including guidance, of the proposed
new scheme will be the subject of consultation with councils during
2005 / 2006. The triennial Action Plan on Good Relations will
provide greater detail and clarity on the arrangements at the
local level.
If the Government's determination to root out
hate crime is to succeed, then action by the minority support
organisations is essential. We heard welcome evidence that some
are willing to encourage members to report attacks and other incidents,
and we hope that this approach will develop. That support will
be inadequate unless proper funding is made available. We therefore
welcome the Government's decision to make additional funding available
to minority support organisations. We hope this will allow organisations
to develop significant programmes of work over a sustained period
of time, and to respond more effectively to the problem of hate
crime. (Paragraph 114)
Government welcomes the recognition by the Committee
of the resources made available to the minority ethnic voluntary
sector in Northern Ireland for community development and capacity
building within and between minority ethnic communities. There
is now also a need to assist indigenous communities in Northern
Ireland to build relationships with minority ethnic people and
to put in place initiatives to assist with their integration.
Voluntary organisations dealing with issues in respect of migrant
workers also fulfil a very important role as this issue continues
to come to prominence throughout Northern Ireland. The funding
scheme operated by the Racial Equality Unit within OFMDFM was
re-launched in February 2005, under the new name of "Development
Funding for Minority Ethnic Organisations", to reflect the
fact that funding is designed to encourage capacity building within
organisations, with the ultimate aim of them taking up mainstream
funding in the future. The main changes which have been made to
the fund are designed to ensure that it is clearly focused on
projects that can show quality of outcomes - particularly in terms
of those which help minority ethnic people to integrate. There
will still be support for capacity building within minority ethnic
organisations, but one of the main aims now is to focus on outcomes
that go beyond insularity - with relationship building as the
ultimate goal.
Following the funding round in March 2005, the Minister
announced a £1.7million allocation, across the next three
years, to organisations throughout Northern Ireland. These organisations
are developing programmes to help minority ethnic groups and migrant
workers integrate into society and are taking steps to combat
racism and racial inequalities. This will provide a period
of sustained and focused support to those organisations working
towards redressing the social exclusion, disadvantaged position
and racism experienced by migrant workers and people from minority
ethnic backgrounds.
We welcome the work undertaken by the trade union
movement and employers to reduce sectarianism in the workplace.
However, the evidence we had of increasing numbers of incidents
of hatred at work makes it imperative that they continue working
jointly with employers and others to develop sound strategies
to address racism, homophobia, and discrimination against people
with disabilities. (Paragraph 118)
Noted.
We urge the Churches to continue to build on the
work they have initiated and to develop a broadly based good relations
programme. The Churches' Peace Education Project is a cross church
education programme involving young people across Northern Ireland.
We were concerned that Government funding for the project had
not been granted for 2004-2007 and, as a consequence, the project
had been scaled back. We hope that what appears to be a project
with great potential can be funded fully in future, and that other,
similar projects can be encouraged. (Paragraph 122)
The Churches' Peace Education Project (CPEP) received
funding from the Department of Education for many years under
various schemes. The most recent funding was under the Community
Relations Core Funding Scheme 2001-2004.
CPEP applied unsuccessfully for funding under the
2004-2007 round. The 2004-07 round of funding was vastly over-subscribed
with 71 applicants seeking funding totalling £14m from a
budget of approximately £3.5m. In anticipation of the round
being over subscribed, the Department had taken steps to ensure
that all applications were assessed fairly and accurately against
the community relations criteria and had appointed an Advisory
Panel of highly qualified people from the education and community
relations sector to assist it in the selection of successful organisations.
The CPEP application came 51st out of the 71 applications.
The Department was only in a position to fund 33 organisations.
All unsuccessful organisations had the right to appeal.
CPEP chose not to appeal.
The next round of core funding will be for the period
2007-2010 and should be launched mid-2006. Any organisation, including
CPEP, which feels it can meet the criteria, will be able to apply.
The Churches have a great responsibility for assisting
in the development of a culture of tolerance and peace in Northern
Ireland. Unless this potential is used to its utmost the drive
for social normalisation in Northern Ireland is likely to falter,
or even fail. We call on churchmen, and members of Church communities,
to ensure that their influence and efforts are placed firmly behind
the Government's hate crime policy. (Paragraph 123)
Noted.
The evidence we received indicates that the community
and voluntary sector, churches, trade unions, employers, peace
groups and those working with young people have undertaken positive
work and projects to address all forms of hate crimes. We welcome
this and urge them to redouble their efforts. The Government's
work to establish a robust long-term strategy to tackle the prejudice
and fear that lie at the roots of much hate crime requires the
support of these bodies and individuals. Such a strategy will
fail unless all sections of society provide it with their wholehearted
support. (Paragraph 127)
Government is strongly committed to meeting the challenges
laid out in the Committee's report and to leading all sections
of society in Northern Ireland, by example, in a concerted and
co-ordinated effort to eradicate all manifestations of hatred
and intolerance, striving towards the creation of a shared society,
defined by a culture of tolerance.
The Good Relations policy and strategic framework
coupled with Northern Ireland's Racial Equality strategy will
outline practical steps and actions, which will provide an effective
and coherent response to racial and sectarian intimidation. While
government will lead and co-ordinate actions flowing from these
mutually compatible and complementary policies, it will be incumbent
on elected representatives, individuals along with the various
sectors and organisations in Northern Ireland to play their part
to promote a shared Northern Ireland.
Our inquiry has shown that hate crime is a growing
problem in Northern Ireland. We are convinced that the growth
in these appalling crimes can be arrested if the Government, the
PSNI, and other criminal justice agencies increase their efforts
to eradicate it. However, if a real impact on this problem is
to be made the pace of policy and strategy development on the
part of the Government, and enforcement on the part of the PSNI,
will need to speed up. Policies need to be 'smart' transparent,
timely, and capable of having an immediate impact 'on the ground'.
Strategy is not a substitute for rigorous practical action.
Enforcement needs to be carried out with rigour. (Paragraph 129)
Noted, and addressed in government response paper.
More generally, addressing the problem of hate
crime requires the commitment and dedication of many participants,
the Government, the PSNI, the victims of hate crime, the churches
ad many more. In addition, each individual in Northern Ireland
has a personal responsibility to treat everyone with respect and
tolerance. This is the general standard we expect to see underpinning
the policy work of the Government and enforcement by the police
to combat hate crime. We believe that, with the full commitment
of everyone, real progress can be made in eradicating these despicable
crimes from society in Northern Ireland. We expect immediate
action to be taken by the Government and the PSNI to provide the
required leadership and vision to halt the growth of hate crime
and further a peaceful society for the minority communities of
Northern Ireland. (Paragraph 129)
Noted, and addressed in government response paper.
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