A website where people can report homophobic abuse and violence has gone live, with those behind the initiative hoping it can reduce the amount of intimidation felt by LGBT people.

The Minister of State for New Communities, Culture and Equality Aodhan Ó Ríordáin TD launched the GLEN’s ‘Stop LGBT Hate Crime’ campaign today.

Rights groups have renewed calls for hate crime legislation after only 47 incidents were recorded in the first half of the year.

Rights groups have renewed calls for hate crime legislation after only 47 incidents were recorded in the first half of the year.

A conference on hate crime yesterday heard that the absence of legislation had created "permission to hate" and that hate-motivated crimes should attract harsher penalties.