We were very saddened to learn of the death of Herman Ouseley. He was a champion and activist for equality and justice throughout his distinguished career.
In 1994, as Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), Baron Ouseley commissioned a landmark report into discrimination against the Irish in Britain. It is difficult to overstate the impact this report had on the Irish community in Britain’s case for recognition. It created a public framework for advocacy and representation for the Irish community.
Read the full CRE report HERE.
The pioneering research in that report, carried out by Professors Mary Hickman and Bronwen Walter, demonstrated that the higher rates of ill-health suffered by the Irish in Britain was noticeable, not just amongst Irish migrants but their children too.
This highlighted the anomaly of relying solely on nationality to understand statistical data and strengthening the case to include an Irish category in ethnic monitoring.
Significantly, Baron Ouseley’s foreword to the report acknowledged that there had been a failure at an official level and in the study of race relations, to recognise the nature of the experience faced by many Irish people in Britain.
In rectifying this, arguing for the inclusion of the Irish category, data could be collected by local authorities, charities and public services that could account for the experiences of Irish people in terms of socio-economic status, health outcomes, employment and housing.
Baron Ouseley supported The Federation of Irish Societies successful campaign for the inclusion of Irish as an ethnic group in the 2001 census.
We remember and celebrate his commitment to equality and justice and as a friend of the Irish in Britain. May he rest in peace.
Ar dheis dé go raibh a anam.