A quarter of Irish people already feel restricted in expressing their views in social settings or their place of work or study according to new polling.

The survey by Whitestone Insight, revealed a deep-seated concern for the erosion of free speech, with 90% of respondents confirming that freedom of expression was “very important” to them.

This comes as the Oireachtas debates new and wide-ranging “hate speech” legislation, with serious human rights implications for free speech.

Lorcan Price, Irish Barrister and Legal Counsel for ADF International, calls it “one of the worst examples of censorship in the modern West”.

“The bill purports to stamp out ‘hate speech,’ but fails to define what ‘hate’” is – allowing authorities to censor any speech the state opposes,” he said.

A Free Speech Summit is scheduled to take place in Dublin on 18th June, where advocates will gather with politicians to highlight the issues at stake under the bill.