The Irish government’s failure to acknowledge Anti-Irish Racism in Scotland.

In the week that saw the shambles of the Scottish government trying to rush through legislation to deal with a problem they had ignored the sectarian framework remains in place.There wasn’t a single politicians or expert at Hollyrood uttered the words “Anti-Irish Racism” during the parsing of the hastily assembled bill.

It is little wonder that the core issue is still under the radar when the Irish government itself remains wedded to this official fiction.

The letter reproduced here from Tánaiste Eamonn Gilmore to Donegal South West TD Thomas Pringle indicates the task ahead for those who wish to be part of the solution to Anti-Irish racism in Scotland.

The original missive from Thomas Pringle TD  to Eamonn Gilmore wasn’t “concerning sectarianism in Scotland” it was clearly apropos Anti-Irish Racism in Scotland. “Sectarianism” was not mentioned in the original letter.

The Irish government’s failure to recognise the existence of the Irish community in Scotland remains a real obstacle to progress. The Irish government has a consulate in Edinburgh. Did the DFA seek to make a submission to Roseanna Cunningham and her civil servants?

At this stage once must ask is it a matter of policy at the Department of Foreign Affairs to excise the term  “Anti-Irish Racism” from the Irish diplomatic lexicon?

No doubt the Tánaiste will be asked exactly that question in the weeks to come.