McEntee pledges to introduce hate crime bill 'in a matter of weeks'

Ms McEntee said she had spoken to the Garda Commissioner this morning and was assured that every effort is made to make sure that whoever or whomever is responsible for these crimes are brought to justice.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee has pledged to introduce her hate crime bill in a matter of weeks in the wake of killings linked to hate crime and homophobic attacks across the country in recent days.

Speaking on her way out of Cabinet, Ms McEntee offered her condolences to the families of the two men brutally killed in Sligo this week and said the Gardaí are doing all they can to bring those responsible to justice.

“I know there's a lot of people coming to terms with what's happened in Sligo in recent days. I just firstly want to offer my sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Aiden Moffitt and indeed to the man who was killed last night,” she said.

“These really were atrocious crimes and I just want people to know that we are there for them. We are there for the community but also that An Garda Siochana is there for the community,” she added.

The man who was killed last night has since been named as Michael Snee. 

Michael Snee, 58 (left), and Aidan Moffitt, 41.

Ms McEntee said she had spoken to the Garda Commissioner this morning and was assured that every effort is made to make sure that whoever or whomever is responsible for these crimes are brought to justice.

Referencing the savage attack on Evan Somers in Dublin over the weekend, Ms McEntee said we as a country had thought such “incidents were behind us”.

“I also just want to say, I know it's been a difficult week for the LGBT community. There have been a number of incidents, which I think have upset and have been distressing for people,” she said.

“These are incidents that we thought were behind us. And again, I just want to reassure people, that any crimes that are motivated by hate or by prejudice or by discrimination, will not be tolerated and will carry higher sentences. 

"I hope to introduce the hate crime bill in a matter of weeks to respond quickly,” she concluded.