Debate contribution: Hate: Executive Approach

Debate contribution by Mrs Ciara Ferguson on 22 September 2025.

MLA

Mrs Ciara Ferguson

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

22 September 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Opposition Business

Heading

Hate: Executive Approach

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5124251

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I begin my remarks by stating clearly that there is absolutely no place for racism, sectarianism, intolerance, intimidation or violence in our society. Every representative in every political institution, local and national, across the island of Ireland has a duty to stand up and speak out against discrimination, inequality and hate. Unfortunately, there remain people who treat that more as an option than a duty. They do so in the knowledge that the impacts of hate crime are far-reaching, affecting individuals, families, workplaces, community settings and even society as a whole. To put the importance of that in context: as we all know, shamefully, the past year has seen the highest number of racially motivated attacks since records began on the issue 21 years ago.

Hate crime differs from other criminality in that it strikes at the very heart of a person's core identity. Understandably, therefore, hate crime has the potential to have particularly profound and enduring impacts on the victims and on the wider network of people affected by it. Research from the Sussex Hate Crime project shows that such crimes not only threaten the personal safety and security of those directly victimised but are likely to impact indirectly on those who are in the victim's identity group, by, for example, increasing their feelings of fear, anger and isolation. Living as we do in the modern digital age, which is defined by widespread use of phones, computers, tablets and other digital technologies, we face additional challenges due to the growing presence of the internet in our professional, social and private lives.

Yes.

Thank you. No one should have to face hate crime in any sphere of their life. Recent research from the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) that mapped far-right activity online here found that it also occurs in a wider context, with some loyalist paramilitaries directly orchestrating such terror. Meanwhile, across the water, British political parties compete to outdo one another with their dangerous rhetoric, which weaponises immigration and plays fast and loose with international human rights. Should we be surprised at the deflection tactics of those who govern when they are from a colonial state? In Irish society, however, those with significant experience of discrimination, inequality, poverty and injustice are not so quick to scapegoat. Credit to those who challenge themselves to look beyond that and critically evaluate the current state of play. As a member of the Justice Committee, I will work closely with the Minister of Justice and my colleagues on the development of the hate crime provisions recommended in Judge Marrinan's review of hate crime legislation through the upcoming sentencing Bill and the victims and witnesses of crime Bill. Let me state clearly, however, that legislative change in itself is insufficient. Challenging falsehoods and discriminatory or hateful narratives, including on immigration, gender identity and other identity issues, is fundamental. There is no room for equivocation, because misinformation and disinformation can and do manifest themselves in displays of hate. On that point, while I welcome the fact that an additional £5 million was agreed by the Executive to cover mutual aid following the recent riots in Ballymena, that money could have been invested in positive, ambitious and proactive projects; instead, it was engulfed in reactive measures to deal with the intolerable behaviour. Tackling hate is not an issue on which to point fingers but one on which all of us across the Chamber should reflect and recommit to walking the walk in our homes and in our communities.

585 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 13:15 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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