Sinn Féin defends U-turn opposing Hate Crime law as legislation passed by Dáil

SINN FÉIN HAS defended its decision to vote against Hate Crime legislation, despite previously voting in favour of it last April. 

Last night, the Dáil voted to pass the slimmed down hate crime legislation with 78 TDs in favour and 52 against. 

The government parties of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party all voted in favour of the legislation along with the Labour Party and the Social Democrats. 

Sinn Féin, People Before Profit-Solidarity, Independent Ireland and Aontú all voted against the legislation. As did every Independent who was present in the Dáil chamber for the vote.

In a statement today, Sinn Féin said it opposed the legislation because it is “not fit for purpose”, with TD Matt Carthy describing it as a “Frankenstein” Bill.

Sinn Féin initially voted in favour of the legislation when it first appeared before the Dáil in April 2023.

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However, Sinn Féin senators did raise issues with the legislation when it was debated in the Seanad in June 2023, particularly around the Government’s refusal to accept amendments.

In March of this year, the party’s TDs then called for it to be scrapped.

Defending the decision today, Carthy said Sinn Féin had submitted major amendments to the legislation that were not accepted. These included providing a definition of “hate” and “gender” within the legislation. 

In September, the Government announced that it was dropping the hate speech element from the contentious bill and proceeding only with the elements that deal with hate crime.

This includes providing for higher prison sentences for certain crimes where it is proven that the crime was motivated by hatred or where hatred was demonstrated.

Speaking in the Dáil yesterday, Carthy raised concerns about the legislation being misused by any government “as a vehicle to censor”.

“As a party, we in Sinn Féin have actually and officially been censored in the past. Our members have seen harassment, violence and persecution meted out to them.

“We in Sinn Féin know what it is like to be censored and we oppose disproportionate and overreaching powers that could be used to impede the fundamental right to freedom of expression or to protest,” Carthy said.

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