Irland: Before the government began its move towards so-called “hate speech” laws, then-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar made sure to emphasise his view that “speech should never be gagged or throttled.”

The remarks were made on November 21st 2016, during a speech in UCD on the topic of “Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Human Rights.”

During the wide-ranging address, the Fine Gael leader said that people “shouldn’t be afraid” to listen to opposing viewpoints.

If we really believe in our values, then we should trust that they can withstand robust engagement, including when they come into contact with people who believe the exact opposite.

We shouldn’t be afraid to meet other people and talk to them and engage with them. Because that’s the only way that hearts will soften and views will change.

No arguments are won in echo chambers where people only engage with other people who share and reinforce their views.

And that’s true on the left and right, liberal and conservative, in person, online and on the streets.

Despite these comments, Varadkar’s government has since pursued hate speech legislation that seeks to ban statements that are perceived to be offensive to certain protected classes within society.

The government’s hate speech bill ultimately passed overwhelmingly in the Dáil, with the support of all government parties, and even opposition parties such as Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats, and the Labour Party. In total, it was approved by an overwhelming 110 votes in favour, with only 14 TDs opposed.

https://gript.ie/varadkar-in-2016-speech-should-never-be-gagged-or-throttled/