Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister sat in that seat back when we discussed the Bill in 2023. Her words were, "You can still be offensive". Along with the amendments in the Bill as it stands now, without the Minister scrapping the incitement of hate speech, it was still okay to be offensive. People could still be racist or offensive but targeting and calling somebody names, running after them on the street or what we see on social media is hate speech. It is disappointing for me and for the Coalition Against Hate Crime to see a complete U-turn by the Government all out of fear of the far right. If we want to protect people, politicians and our streets, we need hate crime legislation that works for everybody. The Minister sat there and told us in this House that the 1989 hate crime legislation was not fit for purpose and that this legislation, which she put in front of us in 2023, was more up to date and fit today's society. It is regrettable for people from communities like mine, people of colour and disabled people, who are still verbally attacked on our streets today. I know it is not the Minister of State's fault. I thank her for coming in today. An answer is better than not having one. It is something we can work on.