Letters

Zero tolerance for hate speech in politics

Sat Jan 25 2020 - 00:16

Sir, – We are calling on all candidates and political parties contesting the general election to take a stand against sexism, racism and homophobia in politics.

There needs to be a culture of respect and inclusion in all political discourse, and zero tolerance for hate speech and discrimination in our politics.

Comments that are anti-women, anti-migrant, anti-asylum seekers, anti-Traveller and Roma, anti-LGBTQ+ or anti-people of colour have no place in our society or in our politics.

Elections should be based on policies and solutions and people standing on their own track records.

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Political parties need to hold their colleagues to account if they see hate speech being used against minority groups or candidates at election time. – Yours, etc,

ORLA O’CONNOR,

Director,

National Women’s

Council of Ireland;

SHANE O’CURRY,

Director,

Irish Network

Against Racism;

EDEL McGINLEY,

Director,

Migrant Rights

Centre Ireland;

BRIAN KILLORAN,

Chief Executive,

Immigrant Council

of Ireland;

ETHEL BUCKLEY,

Siptu Deputy General;

KEVIN CALLINAN,

Fórsa General Secretary;

JOHN DOUGLAS,

Mandate General Secretary;

SARAH BENSON,

Chief Executive,

Women’s Aid Ireland;

MONINNE GRIFFITH,

Director,

BeLonGTo;

GORDON GREHAN,

Transgender Equality

Network Ireland;

KATE MOYNIHAN,

Project Coordinator,

Linc;

PÁDRAIG RICE,

Coordinator,

The Gay Project;

LORNA FITZPATRICK,

President,

Union of Students

in Ireland;

IAN POWER,

Executive Director,

SpunOut.ie;

CIARA FANNING,

President,

Irish Second-Level

Students’ Union;

LIAM HERRICK,

Director,

Irish Council

for Civil Liberties;

SALOME MBUGUA,

AkiDwa;

NOELINE BLACKWELL,

Chief Executive,

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre;

CLÍONA SAIDLÉAR,

Executive Director,

Rape Crisis Network Ireland;

CIAIRÍN DE BUIS,

Chief Executive,

Women for Election;

MARIA JOYCE,

Coordinator,

National Traveller

Women’s Forum;

MIRIAM HOLT,

National Coordinator,

National Collective

of Community

Based Women’s Networks;

RACHEL DOYLE

and ANN IRWIN,

Joint National Coordinators,

Community Work Ireland,;

LOUISE LOVETT,

Chief Executive,

Longford

Women’s Link;

FIONA FINN,

Chief Executive,

Nasc,

The Migrant

and Refugee Rights

Centre, Cork;

MARTIN COLLINS,

Co-Director,

Pavee Point.

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