**Billionaire owner of X flagged potential legal action over free speech**
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has strongly defended the Government’s proposed new hate speech laws and accused Elon Musk — who last week threatened legal action to stop the legislation — of “showboating”.
Varadkar also told the Sunday Independent it was a “red herring” to suggest the intended laws posed a risk of freedom of speech.
Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter) said last week that X will file legal action to “stop” hate speech laws in Ireland, which critics say are being used to clamp down on free speech.
In a tweeted response to an article on the conservative news website Gript, Musk, who describes himself as a “free-speech absolutist”, said: “X will be filing legal action to stop this. Can’t wait for discovery to start!”
However, on his return from holiday last week, Varadkar engaged on the issue which is also causing some concerns behind the scenes in Fine Gael at a time when street crime in Dublin and elsewhere is perceived to be on the increase.
Fine Gael sources have said many in the party believe Justice Minister Helen McEntee should focus on “law and order” rather than “woke” issues.
The Taoiseach also described as “total rubbish” a claim Fine Gael was more interested in hate speech laws than fighting crime.
McEntee is sponsoring the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill through the Oireachtas, which is at third stage before the Seanad.
Varadkar told the Sunday Independent: “Anyone can challenge a law, when it is a law, but they have to have locus standi.
“For example, if Elon Musk or one of his companies was prosecuted for engaging in or inciting hatred or violence against women, or travellers or LGBT+ people or another protected minority, they’d have the option of fighting the case on its merits and also on the law’s constitutionality.
“But he cannot just challenge a law in the courts and certainly not one that isn’t even a law yet.
“I suspect he doesn’t know what he means and is just showboating.”
I’m just putting this out there, he’s trying to interfere with European laws despite not being a citizen. This should be very alarming to ya.
How many space rockets did Varadkar launch?
We can’t get anything easily into space without him right now can we? Seems like our laziness has let him get us by the balls.
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Article:
**Billionaire owner of X flagged potential legal action over free speech**
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has strongly defended the Government’s proposed new hate speech laws and accused Elon Musk — who last week threatened legal action to stop the legislation — of “showboating”.
Varadkar also told the Sunday Independent it was a “red herring” to suggest the intended laws posed a risk of freedom of speech.
Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter) said last week that X will file legal action to “stop” hate speech laws in Ireland, which critics say are being used to clamp down on free speech.
In a tweeted response to an article on the conservative news website Gript, Musk, who describes himself as a “free-speech absolutist”, said: “X will be filing legal action to stop this. Can’t wait for discovery to start!”
However, on his return from holiday last week, Varadkar engaged on the issue which is also causing some concerns behind the scenes in Fine Gael at a time when street crime in Dublin and elsewhere is perceived to be on the increase.
Fine Gael sources have said many in the party believe Justice Minister Helen McEntee should focus on “law and order” rather than “woke” issues.
The Taoiseach also described as “total rubbish” a claim Fine Gael was more interested in hate speech laws than fighting crime.
McEntee is sponsoring the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill through the Oireachtas, which is at third stage before the Seanad.
Varadkar told the Sunday Independent: “Anyone can challenge a law, when it is a law, but they have to have locus standi.
“For example, if Elon Musk or one of his companies was prosecuted for engaging in or inciting hatred or violence against women, or travellers or LGBT+ people or another protected minority, they’d have the option of fighting the case on its merits and also on the law’s constitutionality.
“But he cannot just challenge a law in the courts and certainly not one that isn’t even a law yet.
“I suspect he doesn’t know what he means and is just showboating.”
I’m just putting this out there, he’s trying to interfere with European laws despite not being a citizen. This should be very alarming to ya.
How many space rockets did Varadkar launch?
We can’t get anything easily into space without him right now can we? Seems like our laziness has let him get us by the balls.