One year ago, the Irish were fighting for their figurative lives as far as individual freedom goes. The government had passed one whale of a restrictive Hate Crimes Act.
…Irish President Michael Higgins signed the Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Bill 2022 into law on the 29th, which establishes criminal penalties for “hatred” against selected victim groups.
Catholics were particularly alarmed by the ‘hate speech’ section of the bill. Expressing one’s belief that there are only men and women, and in ‘traditional marriage’ would suddenly become a chargeable offense thanks to the ‘protected status’ awarded to so many victim groups – there were something like over seventy officially designated.
And what, these folks wondered, would be considered ‘inciting hatred’? Expressing a simple personal opinion or religious belief? Would these new proposed restrictions now criminalize thought?
Barrister Grace Sullivan has warned that the Government’s proposed hate speech bill could leave religious groups and pro-life advocates open to accusations of hate speech. Ms Sullivan suggested that many won’t fully grasp the far-reaching implications of the bill until it is passed into legislation and enforced in society.
Speaking with The Sunday Independent, Ms Sullivan stressed that “one of the fundamental rights protected under the Irish Constitution is the right of the citizens to express freely their convictions and opinions. It is one of the foundations of a democratic society and it is in everyone’s interests that it be preserved.”
Calling the bill “restrictive and undemocratic”, Ms Sullivan was fearful of the “problematic” nature of the proposed bill “due to its vague wording”.
She warned that, under the proposed bill, it will be an offence to “incite hatred” against an individual or a group on account of “certain protected characteristics” – but “there is no clear definition of what ‘inciting hatred’ means”.
Outlining where the bill could cause problems, Ms Sullivan said certain views on transgenderism could leave people open to accusations of hate speech.
The uproar was so fierce throughout the country – not to mention there was an upcoming election in the balance – that, while the bill itself passed, the Minister for Justice, who had proposed that Orwellian part of an already repressive measure, quietly dropped the reviled ‘hate speech’ from the legislation.
Opponents warned that the Irish people would have to remain vigilant and vocal in order to prevent any reintroduction of ‘hate speech laws’ in any fashion.
Politicians welcome hate speech axe but concerns remain
…This Bill is based on protected categories and if there’s hatred against one or all of them, then you’re into the zone of criminal offence.
“If the Government continues with that strange definition for gender that they had in and the basis for hatred in the hate legislation, that is still problematic because that would set in precedent that this is a definition of gender that’s from an NGO, that’s full of ideology and denies the basic realities of the gender of male and female. It would be more than nonsense to put that into law in any shape or form – harmful nonsense.
“The fact that they’re just dropping it without trying to amend it suggests that they’re taking the easy route out to avoid election controversy, certainly. The Minister for Justice says that they’re going to try and bring it back so people will need to continue their advocacy and their campaigning on this.”
Councillor Emer Tóibín, whose party Aontú was the only party to vote against the Bill in the Dáil and who will be contesting against Minister McEntee in the upcoming election for the Meath East constituency, said that she’s relieved because the proposals represented a “veiled attack on democracy”.
Little did the Irish guess that they should have been looking to their masters in Brussels vice Dublin, for the next assault on what’s left of their freedom to speak and think.
As members of the European Union, the Irish have agreed to play by the EU rules, and darned if the Brahmins took a look at the Emerald Isle and found them wanting.
In May of this year, they gave the Irish government an ultimatum. It would have two months to bring its national statutes into line with the EU’s or face Ursula Von der Leyen’s unpleasant music.
What statutes?
Why, the Irish had no specific ‘hate speech’ laws.
IRELAND HAS TWO months to begin implementing hate speech laws or face being taken to the Court of Justice of the EU.
Under existing EU rules on combating racism and xenophobia, the European Commission believes Ireland is allegedly ”failing” to comply with laws, first agreed to in 2008, surrounding the criminalisation of race-based violence and hatred.
In the Commission’s monthly infringement package, which details what countries it believes are failing to comply with European law, Ireland has been given two months to begin implementing laws preventing racially-charged hate speech.
The state has also been told that it must implement legislation against the denial, condoning of and gross trivialisation of international crimes and the Holocaust. The Commission has threatened legal action if the necessary measures are not implemented.
The government has repeatedly pointed to existing legislation that criminalises the incitement to hatred and hate speech, under the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989. In 2017, the Irish Courts Service said just five people were convicted under the law.
The existing legislation is not good enough in the eyes of the European Commission, however. It today warned Ireland and Finland that laws must be amended within two months or face the possibility of being referred to the Court of Justice of the EU.
It didn’t help when activists found out that much of the pressure coming from the EU was because immigrants to Ireland had been complaining directly to the EU about their terrible treatment on the island after arriving.
🚨🚨🚨
African woman admits migrants in Ireland bypassed the government and contacted the EU directly to ask for hate speech laws to be implemented.
Migrants are coming to Ireland and begging the EU for special protection under the law. pic.twitter.com/Ec70KUkcD9
— MichaeloKeeffe (@Mick_O_Keeffe) May 12, 2025
The newcomers wanted the native Irish punished.
Faced with punitive court action, Ireland protested, ‘We’ve already got that covered with our incitement laws!‘ But the EU wasn’t happy about the tiny number of people going to jail in Ireland for thinking out loud or supposedly harassing newly arrived asylum seekers, even though much was covered by the additional hate crime law passed in the fall of 2024. The pressure was building as the Irish government tried to find a workaround, and the Irish people held their breath.
Just under a week remaining until the EU will try to force hate speech laws on Ireland.
This Irishman will not comply. pic.twitter.com/rzoeHKA06d
— MichaeloKeeffe (@Mick_O_Keeffe) July 1, 2025
Opponents reminded the Irish about the draconian oppression that they were facing and what was happening in Finland at the same time after they implemented the EU rules.
The Irish Government has been urged to resist pressure to implement the European Union’s hate speech laws affecting “words, ideas and opinions”.
In Leaders’ Questions, Deputy Ken O’Flynn highlighted the case of Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen, who was dragged through the courts for quoting the Bible on sexual ethics.
In May, the European Commission gave Ireland two months to comply with the EU’s laws on hate speech, which is more extensive and wide-reaching than Ireland’s current rules, or else risk being referred to the EU’s Court of Justice.
Deputy O’Flynn queried whether quoting Scripture will “become a punishable act” if the Government introduces the laws.
He also asked: “Will this Government stand over a law that criminalises people for what they think, criminalises people for what they say rather than what they do?”
He continued: “We are not talking about the incitement of violence, we are not talking about threats or harassment, we are talking about words, ideas and opinions; often and sometimes unpopular and uncomfortable, but still lawful expressions, which are supposedly free”.
Yesterday, in answer to a direct question, the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan informed the lower house, ‘We’re not doing it.‘
Wow a grown up decision implementing what the people want by a government official…there would be far less division and anger in this country if the government engaged with people listened and took on board concerns instead of ignoring people…
— Terry McCarthy (@terrytysonmac) October 9, 2025
He added that he had written to the EU, informing them that, as far as he was concerned, Ireland was fully compliant with the spirit of all their requirements and that the Irish government would go no further.
…In response, Deputy Jim O’Callaghan said he was “fairly satisfied” that Ireland has transposed the European Council framework decision on “combating certain forms and expressions of racism and xenophobia in a manner appropriate and tailored to the domestic system of law in Ireland. “
“I assure Members of the House that Ireland’s position has been communicated to the European Commission,” he said. “That position is that the framework decision is fully transposed in Irish legislation in a manner appropriate and tailored to the domestic system of criminal law and procedure, and is in line with Article 40.6 of the Constitution, which expressly respects and protects the right to freedom of expression and of people to express their views freely.”
“The Deputy will be aware that last year the House enacted legislation to provide for tougher sentences for crimes motivated by hate. That was the Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Act 2024. This was sensible legislation that provided for increased prison sentences for certain crimes where they are proven to be motivated by hatred or where hatred is demonstrated. For approximately 36 years, we have had the Prohibition of Incitement To Hatred Act 1989.
“That provides general protections in respect of those who seek to incite violence and hatred against others because of their inherent characteristics,” the Minister continued.
For its part, the EU is talking tough on specific ‘immigrant’ cases and gearing up to battle the Irish.
Does it matter what Jim O’callaghan’s plans are? The ECHR, which provides case law for the CJEU, specifically Articles 8, 13 and 14, invokes the role of the criminal system in stopping hate speech. pic.twitter.com/c6NOrz9vZV
— Andrew Hales (@AndrewH81483877) October 9, 2025
With the authority to fine the tiny country up to a million euros a day, the Brahmins have the power to stomp rebellions out.
For our part, the Trump administration has told the EU – politely – to back right off through supportive messages to the Irish government.
The Trump administration in Washington wants the Government to urge the European Union to allow member states to address hate speech as each “sees fit”.
It is also seeking for the Government to press Brussels to review the implementation of existing regulations to provide better protections for freedom of expression, “including political speech”.
In a note to Ireland’s media regulator Coimisiún na Meán, sent last August, the US state department said that while freedom of expression is not absolute, any restrictions “must be narrowly tailored”. It said government bans on hate speech or disinformation are generally not permissible.
It urged that any local implementation of EU regulations on the operations of US social media companies “be done with full respect for dissenting views, including views deemed offensive or critical of politicians, officials or Government institutions”.
I love it.
Right now, in Ireland, though…
🚨 Breaking!
The Irish government has informed the EU they will not comply with a demand to force hate speech laws on the public.
Hugely significant moment for free speech. pic.twitter.com/hbgN4RrxNH
— MichaeloKeeffe (@Mick_O_Keeffe) October 9, 2025
…the word is ‘no.’
And it is good.
If we thought our job in pushing back against the Academia/media/Democrat censorship complex was over with the election, think again. This is going to be a long fight. Ed, David, John, and I are here for it.
COME AT US, BROS!
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