How prejudice is changing in Northern Ireland

Thursday 25 June 09

The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has launched new research which shows an apparent rise in Northern Ireland of negative views towards a range of people as neighbours, work colleagues and family members.

Nearly half of people questioned (51%) would mind a little or a lot having a Traveller as a neighbour, ten percentage points more than in 2005. More than one in five people (23%) say they would mind a gay, lesbian or bisexual person living next door, compared to 14% three years ago. The same number (23%) say they would have the same problem with a migrant worker.

According to this survey, the dominant perception is that over the last three years there was a decrease in sectarianism but an increase in racism. Surely the hideous facts happened in Belfast last week seem to confirm the high level of intolerance of a certain part of the population.

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