Sinn Féin’s U-turn on the hate crime bill is motivated by “cowardice”, Leo Varadkar has claimed. 

The party previously supported the bill but yesterday on Newstalk Breakfast, Justice Spokesperson Pa Daly described it as “badly thought through” and urged the Government to ‘scrap’ it. 

This morning, the Taoiseach was highly critical of the opposition party’s change of heart on the issue. 

“When it comes to Sinn Féin, never has a party in my recollection displayed so much cowardice on many issues so quickly,” he said. 

“This is a party that supported the bill in the Dáil, tried to pretend they didn’t support it in the Seanad and - they actually didn’t vote against it anyway - now all of a sudden because there’s an online campaign of misinformation about it they buckle. 

“These are not the kind of people you want running your country, quite frankly.” 

If passed, the bill will ban the “incitement to violence or hatred against a person or a group of persons on account of certain characteristics”. 

Mr Varadkar described it as “misunderstood by a lot of people” and said he hoped there would be “further debate” as the legislation is scrutinised by TDs and Senators. 

“There’s areas around hate crimes which I don’t think people find controversial,” he said. 

“That if you injure somebody or murder somebody and you’re motivated by misogyny or racism or homophobia, that can get a stiffer sentence.

“I think that makes a lot of sense.” 

Civil liberties

Mr Varadkar acknowledged that people have civil liberties concerns and said Justice Minister Helen McEntee is working on a number of amendments to “ally” them. 

He was also critical of some opponents of the bill who he said have a "totally [different] agenda”. 

“Their agenda is one of hate and they are terrified that if this legislation goes through, they’re going to be held accountable," he said. 

“They’re the ones we should stand up to.”  

Incoming Taoiseach Simon Harris has also pledged his support for the legislation but said he would approach the issue with “humility and listen to people and the concerns that they are raising”. 

The bill is currently at its third stage before Seanad Éireann.

In a statement to Newstalk, Sinn Féin said the Government had "not listened to any of the very valid concerns" raised by opponents to the legislation.

Main image: Leo Varadkar speaks outside Leinster House. Image: Leah Farrell/RollingNews