Government policies are fuelling rather than containing racism, a report from over 40 NGOs, being submitted to the United Nations this week, will say.
The report, which will be published on Thursday, will also be submitted to the Departments of Justice and of Foreign Affairs for consideration.
The NGO Alliance shadow report, a response to the Government's first report on the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, says "to date little real attempt has been made by the Government to curb racism".
The NGOs behind this report, which include Amnesty International, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and the Refugee Project of the Irish Bishops' Conference, say: "The Government not only fails to acknowledge the seriousness of racism in Ireland today but on occasion seeks to deny its existence.
"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'."
It calls on the Government to publicly acknowledge racism as a "growing problem". Not only, it says, should politicians and Government challenge racism and promote a positive view of ethnic minorities, but "effective sanctions should be taken against politicians and Government officials who use discriminatory or inflammatory language".
The report says Government is failing to acknowledge institutional racism.
"It should introduce statutory-based equality proofing of all legislation and Government policy, which should focus in particular on racism and the intersection of racism and other discrimination, for example gender discrimination."
Under direct provision asylum-seekers are "dispersed" around the State to reception centres where they receive bed and board and a "comfort allowance" of €19.10 per adult and €9.60 per child per week.
On the Traveller community it says Government has failed to ensure delivery of suitable accommodation to Travellers. "Too many Travellers are still living in unsafe, unhealthy and poorly-maintained accommodation. As a result Traveller health status and educational standards are well below what they should be in a country as wealthy as Ireland."
The authors of the report stress its publication is in advance of the publication of the Government's National Action Plan Against Racism, due in the next few months.
