SINN FÉIN TDS have this week called for the proposed Hate Speech legislation to be scrapped despite all of the party’s TDs voting in favour of the legislation in the Dáil last April.
Yesterday, the party’s spokesperson on justice, TD Pa Daly, called for the Government to axe the legislation.
In a statement he said it is not fit for purpose and made the point that Sinn Féin has previously raised a number of “serious concerns” about flaws in the legislation.
“It is for this reason that we voted against the legislation in the Seanad in June,” Daly said.
Speaking to reporters outside Leinster House today, Sinn Féin TD’s Pearse Doherty and Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire refused to answer multiple questions about why the party voted in favour of the bill in April, two months before its senators voted against it.
Ó Laoghaire said today “far too much time” has already been devoted to this legislation and that it is Sinn Féin’s view that instead, the Government should be focusing on getting more gardaí on the streets.
When asked why the party voted in favour of it last April, Ó Laoghaire replied:
“The reason that we voted against it last June is the reason that we are opposed to it now. We believe that it goes too far, some of the definitions are far too broad and to be honest, too much time has been taken up by this.”
Ó Laoghaire claimed that it has been Sinn Féin’s position since last June that the bill should be scrapped.
“It has been our position since June when we voted against it,” he said.
In June, Sinn Féin Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile issued a statement explaining that the party had “worked constructively” throughout the bill’s passage to “make sure this legislation is fit for purpose” but still had concerns after the government refused to accept Opposition amendments.
The statement called on the government to “get this important piece of legislation fit for purpose” and did not call for it to be scrapped.
Earlier today, Justice Minister Helen McEntee said she hoped to soon publish amendments to the bill after listening to concerns about its current form.
McEntee said the legislation is an important commitment in the programme for Government and stressed that members of An Garda Síochána have made it clear to her that hate crime is on the increase.
“There are people in our country, who do not feel safe simply because of who they are,” she said.
When asked today what they have to say to voters who may be confused by Sinn Féin’s recent shift on immigration and on the Hate Speech bill, Ó Laoghaire said:
“In my view, we will see in the local elections that working-class communities see us very much as the voice that will stand up for marginalised communities to ensure that they have a voice to fight for their rights, and we will and always are a progressive party that stands on the side of marginalised communities.”
When asked if Sinn Féin is a left-wing party, Ó Laoghaire responded “yes”.
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