Government backs EU initiative to add hate crime to offences list

A European Union initiative to include hate crime and hate speech on the list of offences within its jurisdiction has been backed by the Government.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee secured approval from Cabinet colleagues on Tuesday to seek the necessary backing from the Oireachtas to extend the list of EU crimes to the two issues.

The initiative has come from the European Commission, which is seeking to develop a common approach to these crimes across the EU. Securing support for extending the list would be a first step to creating the legal basis necessary.

The Government said opting into the proposal demonstrates Ireland’s commitment to tackling hate crime and hate speech. These are crimes, it said, which go against the very foundations of a democratic and inclusive society.

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Separately, the Government will seek a stay of nine months on a Sinn Féin private members’ Bill which proposes to compel the Department of Education to state the total amount of money collected by schools each year through voluntary contributions from parents.

Minister for Education Normal Foley got Government approval on Tuesday for a nine-month time amendment to the second reading of the Education (Voluntary Contributions) Bill 2021.

She told Cabinet colleagues that the stay would allow another Bill, Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019, which deals with many of the issues raised, to progress in the meantime.

The Bill being delayed was tabled by Sinn Féin TDs Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire and Matt Carthy and sought a comprehensive breakdown of the monies raised and details of how it is spent in each school.

At present, voluntary contributions to schools may be sought from parents as long it is made clear payment is only needed on a voluntary basis.

The Government’s own Bill has been awaiting committee stage since 2019. It will require all schools to be fully transparent and accountable to parents and students in terms of how they serve the school community, and how they spend all monies raised by fundraising, including via voluntary contributions.