Ireland’s hate speech bill and crackdowns on online “misinformation” are “fundamental” to protecting “our liberal democratic values,” Media Minister Catherine Martin has said.
The remarks were made last night in the Dáil ahead of a confidence vote in Justice Minister Helen McEntee.
Speaking to legislators, Martin said that in the wake of the rioting seen in Dublin in late November after a number of children were stabbed at a school, the country must “hold dear” democratic values – “particularly in the face of an onslaught of online disinformation and misinformation.”
“This is a real threat to our democracy, to the rule of law, to peace, to the very fabric of our state,” she said, adding: “…Now is the time for unity of purpose across all parties – it is a time for us to work together in this chamber to support all efforts to protect the key pillars of our democracy.”
The Green Party Minister went on to list a number of measures introduced by McEntee, praising her “proactive” approach, and celebrating the Justice Minister’s spearheading of the hate speech bill.
“Minister McEntee has been a proactive Minister for Justice, driving the modernisation of our laws to counteract hate crime and hate speech,” Martin said.
“That, coupled with our efforts to tackle the issue of disinformation and harmful content online, is fundamental to addressing the growth of violent extremism and the protection of our liberal democratic values.”
Martin praised the “important work being done by Minister McEntee and her department” as the reason why she would be supporting her government colleague.
“This is only a small sample of the important work being done by Minister McEntee and her department, and there is much more work underway,” she said.
“This is progress and action in the interests of the Irish people.”
Earlier in the year, a clip of Irish Green Party Senator Pauline O’Reilly went internationally viral after she said that the hate speech bill was about “restricting freedom for the common good,” and censoring views if those views create “discomfort.”
"We are restricting freedom for the common good": Irish Green Party Senator Pauline O'Reilly says that her government's hate speech bill is about "restricting freedom," and censoring views on gender identity if those views create "discomfort."#gript pic.twitter.com/H7QIT0QHmf
— gript (@griptmedia) June 15, 2023