One in four Sub-Saharan Africans living in Ireland suffered abuse in the past year, according to a new report that warned of racial profiling by Irish police officers.

The report from the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance was welcomed by the Immigrant Council.

The report said that while the Irish authorities denied there was racial profiling, “there are reports that many non-Irish people are subjected to police stops and are required to produce identity documents which, in practice, can result in racist incidents and the profiling of individuals on the basis of their colour.”

Read More: Defending the Irish community against racist claims in New York Times

The Commission recommends compulsory training in human rights with a special focus on discrimination for all police force members.

It also asked the Government to increase the weekly allowance paid and grant those in the asylum process for a lengthy period the right to work.

Denise Charlton, chief executive of the Immigrant Council of Ireland, said: “The references... about racial profiling are particularly disturbing, and unfortunately reflect stories that are relayed to us through our support services on a regular basis.”

In the past 12-months the Immigrant Council responded to one serious racist incident a week, again highlighting that this is a real problem which requires a serious response.

A Letter Home - A short film about Racism in Ireland