Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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162. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the implementation of the action plan to support the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019-2022, in particular the actions related to hate crime in view of the recent rise in homophobic and transphobic attacks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31182/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Government is committed to achieving its vision of a safe, fair and inclusive Ireland where people are supported to flourish and to live inclusive, healthy and fulfilling lives, whatever their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics. Ireland’s first National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019-2022 is the primary policy vehicle to achieve this vision. The Strategy pursues objectives under four thematic pillars providing a vision of an Ireland where LGBTI+ people are visible and included, treated equally, healthy, and feel safe and supported.

Action 21 of the Inclusion Strategy aims to ensure that Ireland has robust legislation and supports in place to combat hate crime, and encourages people to report it. The Department of Justice and An Garda Síochána lead on this action, and have introduced several measures to protect LGBTI+ people including changes to the recording of motives on the Garda PULSE system and the implementation of an online hate crime reporting tool.

It is expected that the Department of Justice will publish the Hate Crime Bill in the coming months. The Bill will create new, aggravated forms of certain existing criminal offences, where those offences are motivated by prejudice against a protected characteristic. The protected characteristics identified in the General Scheme are race, colour, nationality, religion, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, gender, and disability.