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Ireland Drops Criminal Justice Bill in Major Free Speech Victory

Sep 21, 2024, 09:51 AM

The Irish government has decided to abandon its plans to introduce new hate speech laws, as confirmed by the Minister for Justice. The proposed legislation, formally known as the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022, faced significant opposition from various free speech advocates and commentators. The bill, which would have allowed police to enter homes and search phones and computers for hate speech, was criticized for being overly draconian. This decision is seen as a major victory for free speech in Ireland, with notable figures such as Elon Musk and Michael Shellenberger expressing their support for the pushback against the bill. This is the second time in five years that such a bill has been defeated, and some believe the decision is an after-effect of the March referendums.