ICI News Bulletin - Issue 94

Monday, 20 February 2012

1. Turn off the Red Light (TORL) campaign gathers great momentum
2. Public invited to join the TORL campaign
3. ICI co-host lecture on migrants' entrepreneurship 
4. ICI attends seminaron ‘How Migration Challenges Notions of Society, Education and Culture’
5. ICI and Focus Ireland co-host briefing on the research findings of the experiences of homelessness amongst migrant communities
6. ICI attends roundtable on 'Realising Rights: Current Issues for Ireland’s Engagement with Regional and Global Instruments to Address Racism'   
7. ICI host breakfast event to mark International Women's Day
8. ICI co-host roundtable discussion on immigration rules for migrant women experiencing domestic violence 

Turn off the Red Light (TORL) campaign gathers great momentum

Throughout the months of January and February, the ICI met with many politicians to discuss the Turn off the Red Light (TORL) campaign, of which the ICI is a member. The ICI met with  Francis Fitzgerald, Minister of State for Children & Youth, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy TD, Chair of the FG Committee on Justice & Equality, Senator Terry Brennan, Anthony Lawlor TD, Dara Calleary  TD, Bernard Derkan  TD, Senator Katherine Zappone and Senator Ivana Bacik. Furthermore, the ICI and Ruhama briefed the Government's Technical Group on  February 7^th, 2012.These meetings came ahead of the forthcoming consultation paper which Minister Shatter is shortly expected to release on criminalising the purchase of sex in Ireland.

Following on from RTÉ's Prime Time broadcast:"Profiting from Prostitution", a documentary on the reality of the sex industry in Ireland, members of the TORL were invited by the Group of Taoiseach Nominated Senators to brief members of Dáil Éireann. The debate was attended by some 27 TDs and Senators, and a lively debate ensued. On the 8th of February, in the Dáil order of business, Taoiseach Enda Kenny commented on the broadcast saying "the abuse of women by Irish men, as (the documentary) portrayed, seems to be extraordinarily prevalent", he has also stated that Minister Shatter is now looking at how the purchase of sex can be criminalised and that the Criminal Law Offences Bill is to be published this year. There was an ample amount of media attention both on the documentary and the TORL campaign, some of which you can read here: http://tiny.cc/tevqd, http://tiny.cc/nowfl, http://tiny.cc/1zkik. For more information  on our campaign please contact Nusha: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.turnofftheredlight.ie 

Public invited to join the Turn off the Red Light campaign

People are being asked to show their support for efforts to make it an offence to pay for sex by joining the Turn off the Red Light campaign on Facebook. Denise Charlton, ICI CEO, says "in the past week we have been overwhelmed by messages of support and it is important that people are given an opportunity to register their demands for action".  She added “as one of 48 Community, Voluntary and Representative Organisations which make up the ‘Turn off the Red Light’ campaign, we have been greatly encouraged by the events of the past week. There is now a clear recognition that women in prostitution, many of whom were already the victims of people traffickers, are trapped in a life where threats, violence and abuse are part of daily life. We have received countless messages of support from politicians and from people across the country. Our re-launched Facebook page is giving those supporters an opportunity to voice their concerns. Last week we saw the Taoiseach give a Dáil commitment to examine the issue, it is now more important than ever that we keep the pressure on the Government and ensure the law is changed to end the abuse of women which is happening in every town and city across the country.” For more information, please visit the Turn off the Red Light website: www.turnofftheredlight.ie, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/turnofftheredlight , Twitter: TurnoffRL

ICI co-host lecture on migrants' entrepreneurship

On April 16^th, 2012, the ICI, in collaboration with the Integration Office of Dublin City Council and the School of Sociology UCD, will host a public lecture on migrants' entrepreneurship. Professor Ivan Light , LA Department of Sociology, will deliver the keynote presentation. Anna Ludwinek, Research Officer of Eurofound - the European Agency for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, will present on promoting ethnic entrepreneurship in European cities. 

This event is a very timely one, given Minister Shatter’s recent comments on migrants not being viewed as just economic units, but also noting their essential contribution to economic recovery .The Minister has recently announced securing the Government’s approval for the introduction of two major new immigration initiatives; The Immigrant Investor Programme  and The Start-up Entrepreneur Programme, aimed at facilitating (non EEA) migrant entrepreneurs and investors who, in return for permission to reside in the State, are prepared to invest here for the purposes of saving or creating jobs.For more information on the lecture,contact Fidèle: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

ICI attends seminar on ‘How Migration Challenges Notions of Society, Education and Culture’ 

Representatives of the ICI attended a seminar hosted by the Goethe Institut, on February 9^th, 2012. The seminar focused on educational integration in Ireland and Austria. The ICI’s project 'Pathways to Parental Leadership', available to download here, was mentioned in the presentation by Dr. Dympna Devine of the University College Dublin. The project was mentioned both in the context of promoting migrant parents’ involvement in the school life of their children, as well as the importance of schools in promoting integration in the local community. For more information, contact Fidèle: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   

ICI and Focus Ireland co-host briefing on the research findings of the experiences of homelessness amongst migrant communities

On February 16th, 2012, the ICI and Focus Ireland, co-hosted a briefing on the research findings on homelessness amongst migrant communities, undertaken in Dublin in 2011.The briefing, which was given to policy makers and public institutions involved in homelessness in Dublin, presented the findings of the research and discussed the recommendations made from the research. For more information, contact Fidèle: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

ICI attends roundtable on 'Realising Rights: Current Issues for Ireland's Engagement with Regional and Global Instruments to Address Racism'

On February 16th, 2012, the ICI's Integration Manager attended a roundtable hosted by the Irish Network Against Racism (ENAR Ireland), Dr Anastasia Crickley, Ireland’s Representative on the Advisory Committee for the Framework Convention on National Minorities (FCNM), and Michael Farrell, Ireland’s Representative on the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), in association with the Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC).The roundtable, amongst other things, discussed how best Ireland's engagement with regional and global instruments can help in addressing racism in Ireland. For more information, contact Fidèle: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

ICI host breakfast event to mark International Women's Day 

On March 6th, 2012, the ICI will host a breakfast event to celebrate International Women's Day. Pragna Patel, founding member of the Southall Black Sisters, an organisation which aims to highlight and challenge violence against women, will present on the key challenges facing migrant women. Denise Charlton, ICI CEO, and Nusha Yonkova, ICI anti-trafficking coordinator, will also be speaking. To RSVP, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

ICI co-host roundtable discussion on immigration rules for migrant women experiencing domestic violence 

On March 5th, 2012, the Domestic Violence Coalition, of which the ICI is a member, will host a roundtable discussion on the immigration rules for migrant women experiencing domestic violence, in the EU Parliament Buildings, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2. Anne Ferris, TD & Vice Chair of the Oireachtas Justice, Defence & Equality Committee, will open the discussion. Pragna Patal, founding member of the Southall Black Sisters, will present on migrant women experiencing domestic violence, with a focus on the lessons learnt from the UK. Catherine Cosgrave, ICI Senior Solicitor, will speak about the current administrative arrangements and opportunities for reform in Ireland.

To RSVP to this event, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it