Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022 - Read OP

And if they differ ( which they undoubtedly will)

so what's the point of the legislation?

Feel free to look it up yourself. The idea you are trying to put forward that if there are differences of opinion on interpreting the legislation and this means therefore some people may not get prosecuted is frankly downright bizarre. The Gardai, DPP and courts often differ in their opinions.

Okay, do you acknowledge that under the new legislation you could walk into a Garda station and make a formal complaint that something I said or posted was hateful towards you even though it wasn't racial, sexual, homophobic or any of the other defined forms of hate speech.

Could a Garda agree with your complaint and arrest me under the new bill?

In the course of that investigation could the Gardaí seize my phone, laptop and other electronic devices?

If I refuse to hand over the passwords can I be charged for this offence?

If the DPP agrees with the Gardai that what i said was hateful can I then be sent forward for trial?

Will it ultimately be up to a judge to decide if what I said to you was hateful or not?

I wonder if FFs deputy mayor of Limerick would fall foul of the new hate speech legislation

I didn't ask would they, I asked could they.

I'm not asking to reconsider your position.

Hate Speech has been against the law where it incites hatred since 1989. The law is being updated. It's that simple.

Would they/Could they - same thing.

Your proposed scenario makes no sense.

But it's not about Gardai investigating every little tittle tattle going. 😶

so censorship. Good man.

Of course it makes sense. If Alan Shatter walked into his local Garda station and made a formal complaint about an individual who posted "From the River to the Sea" on twitter are you telling me they wouldn't take it serious if the new legislation was in place.

I wouldnt call it censorship just protecting society from minority opinions, we need to be protected and like we have been talking about previously, instill fear in the population that diverges from rhetoric that promotes the common good. This legislation will be used in such a way. Like if a child sees another child burn his hand on the stove they are much less likely to touch the stove themselves. Plus in future years these types of laws could easily be adapted to crack down further on other types of undesirable behaviour.

Which part?

You must be joking surely? This is the slippery slope of censorship, politicians in general do not like social media. Well to be more nuanced, they love social media for putting out press releases and uploading photos of themselves at such and such a place. But they very much dislike social media when people challenge them on their records, state alternative opinions and give them real feedback.

Independent Senator Sharon Keoghan (ex-FF and ex-Meath County Council) not impressed with this legislation's draconian provisions: