The provisions of the Criminal Justice Bill should “start the alarm bells ringing”, a commentator has warned. 

The Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill - often simply called the Hate Crime Bill - will see the Oireachtas prohibit “incitement to violence or hatred against a person or a group of persons on account of certain characteristics”. 

The bill is still being scrutinised by the Oireachtas but Keith Mills claimed it would have a “chilling” effect on free speech within Irish society. 

Speaking to The Hard Shoulder, Mr Mills described it as a “charter for stopping people from expressing genuinely held views because some other people may be discomforted.” 

He said it was not “properly reviewed in the Dáil” and it was “not the job of lawmakers to stop people feeling discomforted.” 

“Sinn Féin have changed their position,” he said. 

“They supported it in the Dáil but they are now opposed to it. 

“The Irish Council on Civil Liberties have raised concerns on it; it’s not often that you Senators like Michael McDowell [and] Rónán Mullen lining up on the same side as People Before Profit… and even Twitter CEO Elon Musk. 

“[They’re] all saying they have concerns. 

“That should start the alarm bells ringing that there’s something wrong with this legislation.” 

Elon Musk

'Not effective'

Green Party Senator Pauline O’Reilly said the legislation was needed in order to make people “protected and more secure in the way that they live their life”.  

She said current hate crime legislation is “not effective” and outdated. 

“We have to decide as a society, what kind of society we want to live in,” she said. 

“And that’s exactly what laws are about; they’re about putting rules about how we engage with each other and what’s acceptable and what’s not. 

“We’ve seen from the Gardaí that they’ve said there’s a rise of 30% in hate crime in Ireland. 

“I think the time is beyond time to act now.” 

The Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill is currently before Seanad Éireann, Second Stage.

Main image: Leinster House. Picture by: Alamy.com