A Kerry Sinn Féin TD has labelled the government’s hate speech legislation as “not fit for purpose”.
The bill aims to tackle both incitement to hatred and hate speech against a group or individual because they're associated with a protected characteristic.
Pa Daly, who is the party’s spokesperson for justice, has called for the legislation to be scrapped.
The Kerry Sinn Féin TD has demanded for the hate speech legislation to be binned, and has called on the new Fine Gael leader, Simon Harris, to clarify whether he intends to proceed with the legislation.
Pa Daly says the party has raised serious concerns about flaws in the bill as it has proceeded through the Oireachtas.
Deputy Daly claims the bill does not have support across the political spectrum and must be scrapped.
In April last year, the Dáil passed the bill, with 110 TDs voting in favour of the legislation and 14 against.
Among those who voted in favour of passing the bill were 30 of Sinn Féin’s 36 sitting TDs, including Deputy Daly.
Meanwhile, six Sinn Féin TDs neither cast a vote, nor abstained, they were Deputies Mary Lou McDonald, Donnacha O’Laoighaire, Pearse Doherty, Imelda Munster, David Cullinane, and Johnny Mythen.
The vote shows that Kerry Fine Gael TD, Brendan Griffin; and Education Minister and Kerry Fianna Fáil TD, Norma Foley, also voted in favour of the bill.
Independent TDs, Michael and Danny Healy-Rae voted against the legislation.
Responding to Sinn Féin demanding legislation to be scrapped - in a post on social media - Deputy Michael Healy-Rae accused Sinn Féin of “putting their finger to the wind to see what way it’s blowing when it suits them”.
Meanwhile, the new Fine Gael leader, Simon Harris, says he will not abandon the incoming hate speech legislation.
