Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Just to clarify, and this should go back to the petitioner, the way forward is through the Seanad. Send in the letters to everyone in the Seanad. On the basis that if the Government falls, this falls with it, we have to learn from mistakes. We saw what happened with the two most recent referendums that went to the country, where the result came back with a no vote to both. We have seen that from the point of view of the Government and the NGOs, they were pushing for a yes vote in both. From the point of view of the media, they had it down that it would be 70:30 in favour of a yes vote, but the people's view was the reverse. To get this Bill right, it must be amended properly, with agreement of both Houses that it is right. If the Government falls and this Bill falls with it, it would be a foolish Government that would reintroduce it until people have independent views on it that it is done 100% right and that it will actually protect people from hate speech, while also having the common sense to include parts in the Bill so that it is not just a one-for-all, as it were, and that it protects the people who are good but also introduces the people outside that to make sure it is right. I will say it again on the record, I am 100% against this Bill as it stands. I believe the proper channel is for it to go through the Seanad and, if it is amended, to go back to the Dáil.