AQW 11303/17-22


Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry


Tabled Date: 01/12/2020
Answered On Date: 06/05/2021
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister (i) what discussions they have had with (a) stakeholders in the religious community; and (b) other Executive departments regarding the provision of support to faith communities that are either vulnerable to hate crime or which have been subject to hate crime; and; (ii) what plans they have to address the issue.


Answer:
The Racial Equality Subgroup has representation from the Belfast Islamic Centre and the Belfast Jewish Community (BJC). The First Minister and Junior Minister Kearney met with the Subgroup on 27th January 2021 and Hate Crime was one of the issues discussed at this meeting. Officials also meet regularly with the subgroup and members have actively engaged with the Marrinan Review of Hate Crime Legislation.
Hate crime is a key focus of the Racial Equality Strategy and our officials are also
working with their counterparts in DoJ and other Departments to consider how to tackle the underlying enabling factors of hate, ensuring links between the Racial Equality Strategy and wider Good Relations work.
We are also aware that the Department of Justice is considering a Places of Worship Protection Scheme here, in response to hate crime attacks, echoing a similar scheme to that introduced in England and Wales and being developed in Scotland. Since the initial consideration of a funding scheme, in the context of places of worship, the potential scheme has evolved taking into consideration the needs of other key buildings also targeted by hate crime. This development has been informed by:
The Minister of Justice’s meeting with representatives from the Grand Orange Lodge Ireland who are concerned about the vulnerability of some properties in rural locations;
Judge Marrinan’s Report on Hate Crime Legislation which confirms the need to retain religion as a protected group in future hate crime legislation;
Discussions with the Community Faiths’ Forum, including a recent online engagement event, on 25 January 2021 reviewing steps be taken to mitigate the risk of future attacks.
Emphasis must be on preventative actions protecting places of worship and other buildings from hate crime attacks.