Free Speech Ireland is hosting a public meeting to debate concerns relating to Minister for Justice Helen McEntee’s new hate speech bill, Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022.
The meeting will be held at Wynns Hotel Abbey Street, Dublin on the 7th of December from 7pm.
FSI says it “would like to invite all members of the public to a panel discussion in response to Helen McEntee’s recently introduced Hate Speech Bill.”
Guest speakers include independent TD Mattie McGrath, Senator Sharon Keogan, Irish Independent’s Ian O’Doherty, and UCD’s Professor Gerard Casey, with more guests to be announced.
Sharon Keogan on her opposition to hate speech legislation, warning that Ireland is sliding towards becoming a "woke theocracy". pic.twitter.com/X2XzyxAYAo
— JRD (@JRD0000) March 10, 2022
Mattie McGrath outlines his opposition to the proposed hate speech legislation, highlighting the potential for abuse and lack of clarity. pic.twitter.com/uHdZ3VGeQh
— JRD (@JRD0000) November 11, 2022
FSI spokesperson Sarah Hardiman previously told Gript “We are deeply concerned about what this bill is about because the idea of hate speech as something that falls outside the protection of free speech applies to a set of circumstances like incitement to violence, calls for genocide, – truly horrific acts where people are in physical danger or there’s a serious threat to their life.”
She continued, “This bill is not for those circumstances. This is a very different kind of law targeting a very specific set of human behaviours that are based effectively on people being offended and how they choose to take offence or receive verbal interaction, and that’s a very different thing”.
FSI, which is a grassroots organisation, recently sent a list of concerns to members of the Oireachtas detailing the particular concerns they group has with the bill, which has enjoyed Dáil approval.
“We are concerned that ill-defined and unclear aspects of the bill will result in limitations being placed on people’s right to freedom of expression and that this is an unproductive use of Garda resources.” it said.
No booking is required for the event and entry will be on a first come, first served basis. FSI says “the venue has a large capacity so we hope to be able to accommodate everyone.”
A Free Speech Rally is also taking place tomorrow at 1pm on O’Connell Street.