Government must 'stop playing to the woke gallery', says O'Dea

David Raleigh

Limerick Fianna Fáil TD Willie O’Dea has broken ranks with his party leadership over its support of proposed hate speech legislation, describing it as “woke”, and calling for it to be abandoned.

The former minister for defence also described the Green Party and non-governmental organisations as being “out of touch” with the public.

“Fianna Fáil needs to get back to basics and abandon the Hate Speech Bill, etc.

“Focus on housing, health, and law & order, and stop playing to the woke gallery. Start listening to the people, stop talking down to them and stop listening to the out of touch Greens & NGOs #Referendum2024,” Mr O’Dea posted on x, formerly Twitter, on Monday.

Mr O’Dea was expected to join his party leader, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, at a media opportunity in Limerick later on Monday evening ahead of the party’s selection convention next week for the Directly Elected Mayor of Limerick.

The Government had hoped to have incitement to hate legislation on the statute books by late last year, but the legislation has faced delays.

The new Bill aims to repeal the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989, with the Government saying the current laws are not fit for purpose.

Those opposed to the legislation have expressed fears it goes too far and poses a risk to freedom of expression.