Mary Harney, "Racism ruins lives. It can and does kill."
The Tánaiste has said she is concerned that some candidates will play the race card at the next election. Mary Harney criticised some recent comments about asylum seekers as "very irresponsible".
Speaking in Tramore, County Waterford, Mary Harney said that there was no use talking about someone's responsibilities to keep law and order if people did not first respect that person's basic human dignity.
The Tánaiste told school students that racism undermines the fundamental values and basic rights and responsibilities set out in law upon which Irish society is based.
"It is an affront to basic human values. It undermines the debate about how to balance rights and responsibilities. That is because it doesn't allow the participants in that debate to deal with each other on equal terms - the basic equality of respect for each person's human dignity," said Ms Harney.
"That is why a lot of comments we are now hearing about asylum seekers are very irresponsible. Public representatives, most of all, should avoid all inflammatory language. They should lead the way in respecting the dignity of all persons, citizens and non-citizens, asylum seekers and working immigrants, Travellers and settled community alike," she added.
"There is a general election coming up. I am concerned that some will use the racist card in order to win support. This would undermine our democratic values by currying support for the worst reasons. It should be totally unacceptable to us all."
Ms Harney said that people should not give their vote in the next election to candidates who do not show basic respect for every person's human dignity.
"Racism ruins lives. It can and does kill. This is plenty of evidence for that from other societies. Tragically, it looks like there is already evidence of it in Ireland," she said.
