A  leading journalist has said that the Hate Speech Bill currently before the Seanad is a “dangerous and draconian” piece of legislation under which “anyone could be found guilty” because “hate is criminalised without being defined”.

Dr Helen Joyce, formerly Finance Editor and International Editor with The Economist, addressed a briefing with barrister Lorcan Price, which outlined concerns about the how the Bill “may operate, against a background of ‘cancel culture’, to curtail legitimate freedom of expression on a range of issues — including on gender-related controversies”.

“When a crime has no definition, anyone can be found guilty. And that’s what’s going to happen if this bill becomes law, because it criminalises ‘hate’ without defining it,” Dr Joyce said.

She shared a list of statements with Gript media that she said could be considered crimes if the hate speech bill went through, including “men can’t be women,” and “children should not be given puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones.’

Regarding the gender identity protections in the hate crime bill, Joyce said that “identifying” as a woman was “an entirely male experience.”

“I can’t ‘feel’ like I am a woman, or I was ‘meant to’ be a woman – I just am a woman,” she said. “That’s not hate, it’s just true. And in some circumstances it’s essential to say it.”