The Workers’ Party has wholeheartedly welcomed today’s (Tue 28th October) statement by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties in relation to recent racist events in Waterford and the urgent need for comprehensive legislation on hate crime and incitement to hatred.
For many years the Workers Party has advocated the implementation of comprehensive legislation on hate crime and incitement to hatred as a means of combating the scourge of sectarianism in this country. Yet, despite a widespread demand for such legislation and strong criticism from the European Convention Against Racism and Intolerance in its most recent report, this state does not currently have a workable legislative solution to tackling hate crime or hate speech.
Speaking on behalf of the Workers Party former Waterford councillor Davy Walsh stated: “The Workers Party does not, and has never, supported or condoned vigilantism in this or any other city. If there are individuals, or families or groups engaged in anti-social or criminal activity then it is the role of the Garda Síochána to resolve this problem. The Garda Síochána are paid to do this job, are equipped to do this job and are the only group with the authority to do this job. Therefore, I would ask anybody who has information in relation to criminal or anti-social behaviour to report this information to the Gardaí without delay.”