The government’s move to drop hate speech draft regulations has drawn criticism for being “cowardly,” reports Breaking News.
On Saturday, Justice Minister Helen McEntee announced the removal of portions of the hate speech bill that would have made inciting violence and hatred illegal.
She said that the government was taking this action because the planned law could not be agreed upon, reports Breaking News.
The Bill, which attempted to amend 1989 anti-hate legislation and enact rules making “hate” an aggravating component in some acts, had politicians arguing over its language.
There have been concerns expressed over the proposed rules’ unclear wording, including what constitutes “hate” and its effects on the right to free speech, reports Breaking News.
Tech tycoon Elon Musk was one of the opponents of the new rules, which sought to update Ireland’s laws on hate crimes in order to more effectively address online conduct.
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At committee stage, Ms. McEntee will suggest changes to the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022, reports Breaking News.
Although Ms. McEntee stated that she thought the incitement ideas needed to be modified, the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989 would not be abolished as a result of the withdrawal of the plans.
The minister said on Saturday: “We currently have incitement to hatred legislation. I believe it needs to be strengthened, however we need a consensus to do that. We don’t currently have that. So, I am moving forward with the hate crime element of the legislation,” reports Breaking News.
TD Jennifer Whitmore of the Social Democrats charged that the Government’s modifications to the measure amounted to “cowardice.”
“I think it’s cowardice by the government. This has been worked on for years and the fact that now … (as) we’re coming up to an election that they’re afraid to go ahead with this is just unacceptable,” she said on RTÉ’s The Week in Politics programme. It wasn’t perfect, but any of the concerns that people had, I think, could have actually been dealt with throughout the debating process, and it could have actually come out with quite a strong piece of legislation,” reports Breaking News.
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