Speaking to Independent.ie, Patrick McCrystal, Executive Director of HLI Ireland, said he was contacted by the hotel this week to say that the event have been called off. “The manager himself spoke to me directly of 50 pages of commentary, emails and social media, that a Facebook page had been set up opposing the conference, as well as diatribe, intimidation, upset of his staff, personal visits to the hotel and threats of protest at the hotel if conference continues. In the interest of Health and safety of his staff, he had to cancel venue”. He said it was “yet another example of censorship and is an attack on free speech”. He continued: “Who decides who may speak in Ireland? This is an attack on the very foundation of democracy in our country. These women are highly respected in their fields. Yet an angry mob have decided that only certain voices are allowed to be heard in Ireland.”

A spokeswoman for the Ashling Hotel declined to comment.