Political leaders urged to reject ‘hateful narratives’ as hate incidents on the rise

Rising numbers of hate and hate-driven incidents are threatening democracy and social cohesion and political leaders must “reject hateful narratives”, Ireland’s human rights watchdog has warned.The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) was launching a new policy statement on hate on Thursday at its annual conference in Dublin’s Croke Park.The statement said an increasing number of hate and hate-driven incidents in Ireland “is threatening human rights and equality, democracy, the rule of law and social cohesion”. It called for a Government national strategy and action plan on hate, with a designated lead department, clear accountability mechanisms and independent monitoring.READ MOREHate “is not an inevitable feature of Irish society”, said chief commissioner Liam Herrick. “It is shaped by the choices we make as a society, by political rhetoric, by how we respond to discrimination, by how our institutions operate and by the environment we allow to develop online.”“What we are seeing now should concern every one of us,” he said. “While intolerance and hate has always been a reality for members of minority communities, hate is measurably increasing, and can be seen moving from online spaces into our communities.”The climate of fear created as a result is undermining people’s ability to participate safely in public life, leading to a weakening of democracy, he said. “Ireland becoming a more intolerant society is not inevitable. What we need now is leadership to protect human rights, equality and democracy.”[ Reports of hate crimes up 15% in 2025, with racism and xenophobia most common motivesOpens in new window ]Political parties “must avoid being drawn into adopting anti-rights positions and should reject attempts to legitimise divisive narratives”, he added. The statement said hate was being fuelled by online incitement, misinformation and disinformation, including through amplification of harmful content by online platforms. Anti-rights actors are exploiting legitimate concerns about issues such as housing and pressure on public services “to promote divisive and hateful narratives”, it said. Measures to tackle this, it recommended, should also include an education system that gives people the knowledge and critical thinking skills to recognise prejudice and challenge harmful narratives.“The answer cannot be limited to criminal justice measures. We need a sustained, whole-of-society response that tackles the conditions in which hate can flourish and supports the communities experiencing it.”Other recommendations include a national action plan on hate, with measures to prevent and counter hate during candidate selection processes and election and referendum campaigns, and a code of conduct for public representatives prohibiting hate speech in political discourse.The full implementation of the Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Act 2024 and measures concerning online and media regulation are also recommended.