Minority Issues Forum Geneva, November 2009-11-18 Effective Minority Participation: Challenges and Opportunities in Ireland and Europe Intervention by Anastasia Crickley As Chairperson of the European Union’s Fundamental Rights Agency and as an Irish woman active on minority issues for many years, it is my honour to contribute to this Forum and congratulate all involved in its organisation. The European Union and its member states legislative frameworks and directives on discrimination along with the Conventions of the council of Europe as well as the Decisions of the OSCE have all contributed to addressing discrimination and racism which remain significant barriers to minority participation. European Union and member state legislation and initiatives in these fields are strong and cohesive, including in my own country Ireland, where our National Action Plan Against Racism and Know Racism Campaign were effective in their time. Yet barriers to participation continue to exist in each and every country of Europe. Racism and associated discriminations continue to be the sometimes unrecognised and often unaddressed wall. The European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey conducted by FRA and the most comprehensive survey of its type in Europe invited 23,500 immigrants and minority ethnic group people to respond to key questions regarding discrimination. The results show widespread perceptions of discrimination and racism along with lack of knowledge of or trust in mechanisms and institutions set up to support redress. In spite of initiatives to foster inclusion there is a clear lack of diversity in the national and European Parliaments not to mention a worrying trend in increased electoral success for anti-immigrant, anti-minority groups.