Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Police Service of Northern Ireland, PSNI, gathers extensive data for crimes motivated by hatred. There are obvious reasons for this in the context of the Northern Ireland conflict. However, the data are not limited to sectarianism. The force collects and regularly publishes statistics for crime motivated by racism, religious hatred, hatred against people with a disability, homophobia and transphobia. As we approach Dublin Pride this weekend and Trans Pride the following week - pride festivals will be held across Ireland - we need to recognise crimes motivated by homophobia and transphobia continue to happen here. In Northern Ireland 281 homophobic incidents were recorded last year, of which 201 were classified as crimes. Some 33 transphobic incidents were recorded, of which 12 were classified as crimes. The population is nearly three times that of Northern Ireland and we can anticipate that we are not immune from that crime. Will the Taoiseach consider instituting the same level of monitoring? Will he require the Garda to record hate crimes and provide regular statistics to ensure we will understand the extent of the problem and that we will root it out in the State?

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