Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 21 February 2023

Select Committee on Justice and Equality

Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022: Committee Stage

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I accidentally responded to Deputy Smith's opposition to the section before she had addressed it. We believe it is of fundamental importance that provision be made for this avenue for prosecution. We have a system that involves the DPP and others making the decisions on whether to prosecute particular cases. There needs to be an avenue for prosecution where an individual has created content that will incite violence or hatred against a vulnerable individual but such information has been intercepted before it is shared publicly. Provision is being made for situations where there has been success in stopping the publication of something that clearly constitutes an incitement to hatred. I take the point-----