Taoiseach Simon Harris has reiterated his intention to pass the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022, better known as the hate speech bill, within the lifetime of the current government.
While the legislation comfortably passed through the Dáil and was voted for by over 90% of TDs, it has been stalled in the Seanad since last summer in the wake of significant controversy.
However, during a press briefing at the Government Buildings in Dublin on Monday, Taoiseach Harris was asked by a reporter what the current status of the legislation was.
The Taoiseach replied that Justice Minister Helen McEntee had “worked intensively” on the hate legislation but added that there were “some issues” around making sure that the bill did not hinder people’s freedom of speech.
“Minister McEntee will bring forward amendments shortly in relation to that,” he said.
“But we will legislate for hate crime in this country, and I hope and expect we’ll be able to do so in the lifetime of this Government.”
Harris also urged the public to call out “hate” where they saw it.
“We are a decent, compassionate people,” he said.
“And yes, Irish people want to see common sense when it comes to migration. Of course, they want all of us in Government to support the work of (Integration Minister Roderic) O’Gorman in terms of moving toward a sustainable system of accommodation. Of course, they want to support the Minister for Justice in terms of processing times.”
However, he added: “But we, all of us as citizens, have to start calling out the hate, the ugliness and the racism every time it raises its head. And we shouldn’t just do it in a whisper – we should do it loudly and we should do it clearly, because it is not who we are.”
Despite these remarks, a report in the Irish Mail On Sunday over the weekend with an unnamed senior Minister alleged that there was no appetite within government to proceed with the bill this side of an election.
“That hate speech Bill has run into the sand, and it won’t be coming out of the sand before the general election,” the Minister reportedly said.
“That Bill has no friends in the market, I’m afraid. It was ill-conceived and we will let it die off.”
In addition to this, earlier this month the Taoiseach emphatically stated that there was no need for new legislation in order to deal with threatening communications, online or otherwise.
Taoiseach Simon Harris admits that "there is no need for any new law" to ensure public safety, and that currently it is already illegal to "incite hatred", "incite violence" or "threaten physical violence" against people, whether online or in real life, with or without new laws. pic.twitter.com/AhvBI8nIv1
— gript (@griptmedia) August 7, 2024
“It is important today that people right across our country know that there is no need for any new law to ensure your safety,” he said.
“You know, laws should always be reformed, updated, monitored. But if you decide to, you know, hide behind a keyboard or hide behind an anonymous account and threaten physical violence against anybody in this country, that is illegal.
“That is taken as seriously as a threat that is made in person, and you will face the full rigours of the law…So, if you break the law, if you decide to threaten somebody, if you decide to incite violence, if you decide to incite hatred, if you decide to intimidate somebody, if you decide to, you know, engage in activity that’s causing social unrest, you’re not going to be treated differently or specially because you happen to do it in a cowardly manner behind an anonymous account. You’re going to meet the full rigours of the law.”