Annie Hoey (Labour) | Oireachtas source

At the weekend, we heard of the horrific death of a young girl, Brianna Ghey, who was trans and whose murder was potentially a hate-motivated crime. Unfortunately, hers is one of many deaths across the world as a result of inadequate policy, advocacy and trans allyship. Between October 2021 and September 2022, there were 327 reported murders of trans and gender diverse people across the world. A report commissioned by Emily Logan when she was chief commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, IHREC, showed that Ireland is really deficient in addressing hate crime. However, the situation in this State is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the realities trans people face every day. The data in the report were collected from across a number of countries with strong LGBTQ groups. There are many countries in which trans people experience awful violations of human rights, with very little reporting and media coverage.

It is important to reiterate that remaining silent on this issue is simply not enough. We need to speak up and show allyship. We need to create a shift in our society towards parity between all individuals regardless of gender, race and background. I have been reflecting on the massive lack of allyship throughout the media in the reporting of this terrible loss of life, with reporters using incorrect and exclusive language and even going so far as to deadname Brianna and contact people who had very tangential links to her to find out that name. All of this is a massive contributor to the hatred experienced by the LGBTQ community throughout the world. I am thinking today of Brianna Ghey and the loss of a really beautiful young life. I think of all those who knew and loved her.

The second issue I raise concerns the racism and xenophobia that is happening on our college campuses at this time. Last week, we saw what may have been a racially motivated attack at a Luas stop near Technological University, TU, Dublin, which has left a number of students in the area feeling afraid. No student should fear for his or her life in a place of education. It is terrifying that people would target individuals based on the colour of their skin or where they believe their victim has come from. We must recognise that these attacks are part of the bigger misinformation campaign being run by various actors. It is important we in both Houses of the Oireachtas and the Government do our best to debunk the misinformation and stand in solidarity with those affected to show that all people are welcome in Ireland. Students at TU Dublin held an antiracism protest on 13 February with the aim of showing solidarity. The student union has called for a greater Garda presence in the area to make students at the university feel safe. It is shocking we are in a situation in which we are calling for Garda supports on university campuses to make students feel safe. This is a serious state of affairs. As I have said before in the House, if the Government does not get to grips with what is happening and the misinformation that is going around, I do not know where we will end up.