Ireland will not be introducing new hate speech laws, Justice Minister Helen McEntee announced on Saturday. This decision marks a significant shift in the government’s response to the riots that occurred in Dublin last year, and it comes after facing substantial criticism from various sources.
The proposed legislation, initially introduced two years ago, was further prioritized in November following the unprecedented rioting in Dublin. The government stated that existing anti-hate laws were outdated and ill-suited for the digital age. However, the plans have since attracted significant opposition within the government itself.
Minister McEntee explained that while she believes the current incitement to hatred laws require strengthening, a consensus on how to proceed is currently lacking. “I believe (existing incitement to hatred legislation) needs to be strengthened. However, we need a consensus to do that and we don’t currently have that,” McEntee told national broadcaster RTE. The Irish Times was the first to report this news on Saturday.
Earlier this year, Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), declared that his social media platform would financially support any Irish legal challenges against the hate speech legislation. This statement adds another layer to the contentious nature of the proposed laws.
While the hate speech provisions have been dropped, the Irish government remains committed to addressing hate crime through the remaining parts of the legislation. The focus now shifts towards finding a way forward on strengthening existing incitement to hatred laws while achieving a broader consensus within the government and among stakeholders.
