Hate crime statistics and LGBT community
Deputy Howlin urged recognition of hate-motivated crime, especially homophobia and transphobia, citing PSNI data and upcoming Pride events. The Taoiseach said he had met LGBT groups, would check Garda statistics, and noted hate crime was under examination by the Department of Justice and Equality.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland, PSNI, gathers extensive data for crimes motivated by hatred. There are obvious reasons for this in the context of the Northern Ireland conflict. However, the data are not limited to sectarianism. The force collects and regularly publishes statistics for crime motivated by racism, religious hatred, hatred against people with a disability, homophobia and transphobia. As we approach Dublin Pride this weekend and Trans Pride the following week - pride festivals will be held across Ireland - we need to recognise crimes motivated by homophobia and transphobia continue to happen here. In Northern Ireland 281 homophobic incidents were recorded last year, of which 201 were classified as crimes. Some 33 transphobic incidents were recorded, of which 12 were classified as crimes. The population is nearly three times that of Northern Ireland and we can anticipate that we are not immune from that crime. Will the Taoiseach consider instituting the same level of monitoring? Will he require the Garda to record hate crimes and provide regular statistics to ensure we will understand the extent of the problem and that we will root it out in the State?
Comment on this
On Monday I had the opportunity to meet groups representing the LGBT community to mark the beginning of Pride week. Hate crime was one of the issues they raised with me. I am not sure what the situation is when it comes to Garda monitoring of statistics, but I will have it checked and reply to the Deputy by way of correspondence. The issue of hate crime is being examined by the Department of Justice and Equality. It is difficult to get it right because, while hate, anger and many other things may be sins, they are not crimes per se. Perhaps a way by which we might deal with it is that rather than trying to make it a crime, we do something as part of sentencing. For example, if somebody was to commit an assault or carry out a murder and was motivated by hatred on particular grounds, it would result in a stiffer sentence, rather than making the emotion or feeling of hate a crime which I think would be hard to do.