Livestream 5PM: Una McGurk, barrister & senior counsel, discusses Irish Hate Speech Bill & why it ain't dead in the water just yet.
Today, I talk with Una McGurk, senior counsel, about the proposed Irish Hate speech legislation. Calls to scrap the the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) bill have intensified especially since the rejection of the March 8th referenda. It is safe to say, I believe, that public opinion has shifted significantly against this latest piece of Irish government over-reach. This was crystallised for me by the response of some Ireland’s political class in recent days. People who first voted in favour of the bill last year, but who have now done a massive U-turn.
For example, Sinn Féin is now calling for the Bill to be abandoned despite the fact all of its TDs voted in favour of it in the Dáil. One of the original architects of the legislation, former Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan has more or less called for the same. FG TD Michael Ring, and Fianna Fáil TD and former Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea, have echoed the sentiments of Sinn Fein.
Yet, Minister Helen McEntee still persists in pushing forward with the legislation. This Bill is very much not dead in the water. I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak with the brilliant Una McGurk, barrister and senior counsel since 2004, about this proposed bill in detail and also explore why it is still being pursued.
Indeed, as recently as March 31st FF Senator Malcolm Byrne outlined his support for the Justice minister’s bill with some adjustments.
"This is not about preventing people saying horrible or awful things... this doesn't do that, nor should it. It will protect those people who want to say horrible and awful things. However, there is a line that has to be drawn between strong opinions and particular views, and where you actually incite violence."
Like McEntee, though, the good senator is not proposing to define hate in the legislation. So, significant support still exists within the houses of our Oireachtas to plough ahead with this most dangerous of laws and more work is required to see it consigned to the bin of history.
Join us at 5!
Livestream with Una begins at 5PM and can be viewed by CLICKING HERE
PLEASE LIKE, SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE to my Youtube channel & The West’s Awake.
This was a great interview and a very good explanation that makes it plain why this Hate Speech Bill needs to be opposed. Una McGurk is a great find. I had not heard of her before so I am really pleased that you did this interview It is really disgraceful how she was treated, and the same goes for the few decent doctors who spoke out about their alarm at what they were seeing. And what was their 'crime'? Simply put: they had a different opinion to TPTB. I wonder if she would team up with Michael McDowell in the fight against this legislation and maybe alert him to the fact that the sinister bigger picture is not 'a conspiracy theory'. Also, the fact that it is not just the EU Member States that are bringing in this type of legislation. Despite Brexit, the same kind of thing is happening in the UK. Scotland's very own Hate Speech Bill came into effect there on 1st April 2024. https://dailysceptic.org/2024/03/31/free-speech-unions-lawyers-on-standby-as-hate-crime-act-comes-into-force/ https://dailysceptic.org/2024/03/31/a-golden-thread-connects-the-scottish-hate-crime-act-2021-with-the-race-relations-act-1965/
She seems to be a woman blessed with brains as well as beauty and I very much enjoyed listening to her talks before the Referenda recently and I also heard her at the first protest I attended August 2020 at the Custom House. Looking forward to it Gerry