Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Sinn Féin raised a number of flaws in this legislation in the last term, especially in the hate speech elements, as it proceeded through both Houses of the Oireachtas. These concerns included the definitions of "hate" and "hatred", or lack thereof, and still remain, as well as the over-reaching grounds for searches of phones and other personal devices, and freedom of speech issues.

While the Bill has been in the process of passing, we have seen the genocidal actions of Israel take place in Gaza and now Lebanon. An unprecedented mobilisation against genocide and in solidarity with the Palestinian people has taken place here and across Europe. Hate speech laws have been used to remove legitimate symbols of expression, such as the Palestinian national flag, during protests. In Britain, one woman faced arrest and was prosecuted for a poster of the then UK Prime Minister, using a term which academics testified at her trial was not a racial slur. Nevertheless, she faced personal and professional ruin when she had, in reality, no case to answer.

Unfortunately, the Government has pressed ahead bullishly without taking on board any of the concerns raised by Sinn Féin. It is for that reason we voted against the legislation in this House in June and it is for that reason we now propose, as the Government does, to delete the relevant sections. We support the amendments to delete these sections.