Four-in-10 international students have experienced or witnessed racism in Ireland.

According to new figures from the Irish Council for International Students (ICIS), just 5% report racism to Gardai when they experience it.

The council is holding a 'Speak Out Against Racism' event in the Mansion House in Dublin this morning to mark International Students’ Day.

The event aims to find new ways to stamp out racism in Ireland – particularly when it comes to racism in academia.

Reporting

ICIS Executive Director Laura Harmon told Newstalk that students need to know more about how to report a racist incident.

“They report it through the Irish Network Against Racism (INAR) using their iReport tool which gets collated every year and also obviously going to the Gardaí,” she said. “But, you know, there is still fear in relation to reporting an issue.

“They are afraid that they won’t be taken seriously or that there will be repercussions – or perhaps that they don’t have proof.”

The figures suggest that just one in eight students are reporting racism to Gardai.

Supports

Ms Harmon said Government must do more to make Ireland a welcoming place for overseas students.

“International students according to the Government are worth €2.2bn to the economy here,” she said.

“We really feel that any new action plans in relation to international students and recruitment need to include proper supports for those students that are coming in and absolutely tackling racism needs to be part of that as well.”

The event gets underway at 11:30am.