Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We in Sinn Féin support the objective of the Bill and want to be in a position to support it. My colleague, an Teachta Daly, has met with several relevant stakeholders, such as the Irish Council of Civil Liberties, ICCL, and has tabled a number of amendments to the Bill. Sinn Féin will work constructively with the Government, other Opposition parties and Independents to strengthen the legislation and improve it to ensure it strikes the right balance between protecting vulnerable groups and persons while also protecting the right to free speech. We believe that while well-intentioned, it is poorly drafted in some areas. For example, we need to be clearer on the definition of "hatred". To say that hate means hate is not clear enough. We support a single statute on hate, but it must strike the right balance. We have tabled an amendment to ensure that offences are proven beyond reasonable doubt. There should also be an element of restorative justice, an effort to address prejudice and to educate to prevent reoffending. The prioritisation of a carceral-only approach may not have the intended results, and the Minister should endeavour to bring forward measures that educate the wider public and reduce the incidence of hate crimes in the first instance.

I commend the work of the Far-Right Observatory who are doing great work to tackle the growth of far-right ideologies. We must tackle those who take advantage of vulnerable people to further their hateful agenda. Likewise, we must support, assist, and educate persons susceptible to this hateful messaging. Unfortunately, social media amplify their message, and there must be stronger protections in place to address this. I acknowledge that inequality can fuel prejudice. The failure of successive Governments to fix the housing crisis or deliver a fit-for-purpose health system has left many people angry and let down. Others are using these crises to blame minority groups, such as Travellers and people seeking asylum. Yet, we, on this side of the House, know exactly where the blame for these crises lies. Most people know it is the treatment of a roof over our heads as a commodity to be bought and sold for profit that created this crisis. Members of our Traveller community make up 1% of the population but 12% of our homeless people. This is caused by the failure of successive Governments to ensure that enough Traveller accommodation was built.We are all human, we all want the best for our families and we all want a roof over our heads.

Finally, I would like to remember Declan Flynn today, a 31-year-old man from Dublin who was chased and killed by a gang of teenagers in Fairview Park in 1982 on the assumption that he was gay. Thankfully, Ireland has come a long way since then, but some people are still living in the past inside their heads. A short film has been produced and I urge anyone who can, to contribute to the project on greenlit.com. The story must be told so that we can all learn from the past and help build a better future for all.

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