Sociological crime issues like gangland murders, drug abuse and prostitution are the life blood of film and TV. In recent years, RTE’s ‘Fair City’, have bravely tackled art imitating life issues and if their latest hard hitting story on ‘racism’ is anything to go by, we are definitely not the nation of a thousand welcomes with our ‘come all ye’s’ and smiling eyes.

When an asylum-seeker is granted refugee status in this country, it means the Justice Department has invited a non-national to stay here and live as one of our own.

But misinformation has led to Irish society thinking it is giving ‘permission’ for immigrants to stay when in fact, we are partaking in a global ‘adoption’ process where multi-cultural integration is vital to our social and personal development.

So why are we racist?

Maybe because we’re angry. Angry with the government for ‘not looking after our own first’. The idea that charity begins at home, has fallen on deaf ears and Irish society resents the fact that immigrants are receiving welfare money while the elderly people of this country are still lying on hospital trolleys.

Further salt is added to the wounds when government squandering is allowed to continue with non-starters like defunct e-voting machines and redundant road signs. Unfortunately, anger is often misdirected, resulting in the hurt of those most vulnerable. Hence racial attacks.

Ruth Diaz-Ufano, project co-ordinator of the Community Links Integration Project believes that ‘racism’ does generally stem from lack of information. At the Community Links Project, it is their aim to improve communication and integration of the different community groups living in Dublin’s Inner City.

Alleviating xenophobic attitudes completely will take time, but schools are a good place to start. With the help of the Community Links School Integration Programme, integration is kept high on the school agenda.

Volunteers from the Project go into schools, creating awareness, so that children understand why asylum seekers are forced to seek refuge in another country. Being persecuted for having a certain belief or gender base has many asylum seekers fleeing their own country for fear of punishment or even death.

Gaining refugee status is not as easy as some might believe. Language barriers and gruelling interviews are traumatic for anyone who has had to flee their home and move to a different country.

Being able to share their ‘story’ in schools and community aids the healing process for a refugee as they now feel their harrowing plight has been received with compassion. Through the schools, Community Links is also involved with the support system for non-national parents, who are encouraged by community workers and teachers to join parent groups.

When an asylum-seeker eventually receives refugee status, Community Links supports them in their quest for work. But getting an outside qualification recognised in this country has proved an arduous task, resulting in some refugees having to re-train as old as 60. For those who are un-skilled, Community Links runs a capacity building programme supporting refugees to acquire new skills on the many training courses they offer.

Settling here is not all blue print and red tape. The Community Links social calendar is always full and embraces our national events as an important development in integration. Their Women’s Integration Group (WIG) which brings together Irish and refugee/ asylum seeker women living in Dublin’s Inner City, recently celebrated International Women’s Day by organising ‘Linking Women’.

The Open Forum saw women from different backgrounds gather to share their common interests and differences, inspiring each other with their stories of change and development. Already Community Links is organising their summer programme which will see all parents and children from all backgrounds taking part in Sports events in Mountjoy Square Park (every Tuesday, starting the June 27th).

Other activities for the summer are: Training & Public Talks for Adults and Children’s Activities every Thursday, Film & Opinion Forum month and four outings during July & August.

If you would like to get involved or learn more about the Community Links Integration Project, email: clproject@jesuit.ie