New Green Party Leader Roderic O'Gorman Aims to Force Controversial Hate Speech Bill into Law Before Election

16.07.2024

Newly elected Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman is pushing to pass the controversial so called Hate Speech Bill before the upcoming general election. This legislation is a tool for censoring free speech, allowing politicians to arbitrarily define what constitutes "hate," which poses a threat to democratic principles. O'Gorman, alongside Minister Simon Harris, aims to prioritise this bill despite significant opposition from Aontú, Independent Ireland along with a number of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael backbenchers and independents.

The Green Party has long advocated for so called ‘hate speech’ bill which is an attack against free speech, with Deputy Leader Catherine Martin previously calling for EU-wide hate speech laws. However, this bill's re-emergence aligns with the Green's strategy to mobilise their base of voters and claim credit for the passage of this dangerous bill. The bill would more or less place politicians as referees to define what indeed is regarded as ‘hate’ and what is not. This is a huge threat to democracy and gives far too much power to polticians who would be giving themselves the power to legally abuse power.

This move follows the party's disappointing performance in the European elections, where hate speech legislation was a key issue. The upcoming election is expected to spotlight this bill, even if it is passed beforehand with the Greens forcing it as a general election issue. Whether the bill passes or not, it remains a contentious topic, raising concerns about censorship and the erosion of free speech in Ireland.