‘Ireland shaped by migration, shared spaces should not be poisoned by hate': Irish President on racist attacks on Indians

Indian Express

a day ago

Irish President Michael D Higgins has reacted to the recent incident of racial attacks targeting members of the Indian community in Ireland.
In a statement, President Higgins termed the recent incidents despicable and 'in stark contradiction to the values that we as a people hold dear.'
Statement by President Michael D. Higgins on recent attacks on members of the Indian Community in Ireland https://t.co/0o2xO7D7UZ
— President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) August 12, 2025
President Higgins also thanked the Indian community in Ireland for their services in various fields of life.
'We are all mindful of the immense contribution this community has made, and continues to make, to so many aspects of Irish life, in medicine, nursing, the caring professions, in cultural life, in business and enterprise, to cite just some. Their presence, their work, their culture, have been a source of enrichment and generosity to our shared life,' he said.
Reflecting on the history of the country, President Higgins also recalled how migration shaped Ireland.
'Ireland has long been shaped by migration, both outward and inward. Those who left our shores carried our culture and values into faraway lands, often depending on the generosity of strangers,' he said.'That shared human experience should remain at the heart of how we treat those who have come to make their lives here. To forget that is to lose a part of ourselves,' he added.
The Irish President also warned against the use of social media to spread messages of hate.
'Our shared spaces — including social media platforms — should never be poisoned from messages of hate or incitement to violence. Such messages not only target individuals, but also damage and corrode the most fundamental and enduring instincts of Irishness: those of hospitality, friendship, and care for others,' he said.
A string of racially motivated attacks on Indians, including on a six-year-old girl who was punched in the face and hit in the genital area, had sent shock waves across the Indian community in Ireland.
Condemning the racist attacks, the Irish Embassy in India said there was no place for racism and xenophobia in Ireland.
Statement from Embassy New Delhi 📄
🇮🇪🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/ouARR4ILPV
— Irish Embassy India (@IrlEmbIndia) August 8, 2025
Ireland is home to around 80,000 people who trace their roots to India, including NRIs and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs). Indians have made their presence felt in Ireland's healthcare, information technology, engineering and other sectors.