Ms Fiona Crowley:

The issue of hate crimes is one of Amnesty International's European priorities. We have a generic list of recommendations, including that there be specific hate crimes on the Statute Book. We know that this then increases the evidentiary burden that is required to prove those sorts of crime so it is a very complex issue. We would very much welcome the idea of the aggravated sentencing guidelines but, of course, the issue in Ireland is the judicial separation of powers and the fact that the Executive cannot mandate the Judiciary how to sentence. We would very much look forward to the committee engaging with us at a future date because it is a very complex issue but one that needs to be resolved.