Alan Farrell
Question:
570. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Justice the number of racially motivated incidents reported to An Garda Síochána in each of the years 2017 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6166/22]
View answer
I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána, but it has not been possible for this information to be provided in time. I will write to the Deputy as soon as the information is to hand.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51
I refer to your Parliamentary Question No. 570 of 8 February 2022 asking the number of racially motivated incidents reported to An Garda Síochána in each of the years 2017 to 2021, in tabular form.
You will recall that at the time I had reached out to An Garda Síochána to request the information sought by the Deputy and I undertook to write to you as soon as the information is to hand.
As the Deputy is aware, Ireland has become a more diverse and welcoming country in recent decades and I strongly condemn the actions of the small minority of people who subject others to abuse or attack resulting from their own prejudice. These types of attacks cannot, and will not, be tolerated.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that Hate Crime statistics for 2021 are published on the Garda website. 2021 was the first full reporting year since the implementation of new definitions and recording practices in late 2020. Comparison with prior years is not possible.
To be of assistance, I can advise the Deputy that there were 448 hate crimes and hate related (non-crime) incidents recorded in 2021 broken down as follows, 389 hate crimes and 59 hate related (non-crime) incidents.
Detailed statistics are available at the following link - https://www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/office-of-corporate-communications/news-media/an-garda-siochana-2021-hate-crime-data-and-related-discriminatory-motives.html
Separately, as the Deputy will be aware, we are currently developing legislation which will update existing laws on incitement to hatred and introduce hate crime laws for the first time.
A new Bill, which is expected to be published in the coming weeks, will create new, aggravated forms of certain existing criminal offences where those offences are motivated by prejudice against a protected characteristic.
The Bill will also strengthen the law around incitement to hatred - or hate speech – by reflecting the current context more accurately; including online hateful content. Offences will include inciting hatred against a person or persons because they are associated with a protected characteristic, and dissemination or distribution of material inciting hatred.
The protected characteristics that underpin the new legislation are race; colour; nationality; religion, ethnic or national origin; sexual orientation; gender (including gender expression or gender identify); and disability.
Development of this legislation follows a comprehensive consultation process that began in 2019 and included public events across Ireland, along with surveys, consultation and engagement with people with lived experience of the impact of hate speech and hate crime.
The text of the new legislation is currently in the final stages of drafting, and it is expected to go to Government for approval in the coming weeks.
