Barry Ward (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. I would like to start where she finished because what is really important about this debate that we recognise it is not academic. The reality is that there are people who suffer hugely from the behaviour of others in terms of hate speech and, ultimately, hate crime. I regret to say that I have been involved in a case in the criminal courts involving activities that undoubtedly constitute hate crime but that are not properly defined in our laws. I welcome the proposed legislation the Minister has said is coming. The Joint Committee on Justice examined the general scheme of the hate crime Bill. I also recognise that existing legislation regarding incitement to hatred is undoubtedly out of date and has been underused throughout its lifetime. It is appropriate that we recognise the seriousness of this issue, the effect it has on individuals and the fact it requires specific legislation to enunciate it.

In terms of the motion and what is happening in respect of Article 83(1), it is also worth noting that the existing crimes set out in Article 83(1), namely, terrorism, trafficking human beings, the sexual exploitation of women and children, illicit drug trafficking, illicit arms trafficking, money laundering, corruption, counterfeiting of means of payment, computer crime and organised crime. They are all serious matters.

It is, to my mind, appropriate that the matters we are talking about today, namely hate speech and hate crime, join that list because they have, as the Minister said, a corrosive effect on social understanding. That is at the core of this debate. I would like to think that in Ireland we have people who understand other nationalities and ethnicities and people who are different, and welcome them into their part of society. However, when we realise that is, we hope, the case for most people, it is not the case for all and we need to put in place very strong legislative instruments while being conscious of what the Irish Council for Civil Liberties has said to all Members. I note its comments. We need to put in place strong legislative measures that make sure that people who transgress the boundaries of what is acceptable face the rigours of the law and are held accountable before the courts as necessary.