Fine Gael TD Barry Ward has called on the government to hold Hungary to account for breaching European laws surrounding LGBTQ+ laws.
In June 2021, the Hungarian Parliament passed a law which significantly eroded LGBTQ+ culture in the country, with the law specifically forbidding the depiction of LGBTQ+ material in media, literature, and educational material designed for children.
At the time, the decision was roundly criticised by governments around Europe and in the United States, with the European Commission fining Hungary for the act.
Four years after the passage of the law, Ward has questioned if the government is willing to keep the pressure on Hungary, amid a major backlash to LGBTQ+ rights globally.
“If we are seriously to respect the rights that are set down in the Treaty on European Union and if we embody them in Ireland, we need first to assure ourselves we are doing everything we can to make it clear that we oppose this and make that clear on the international stage and at European level, at European Council meetings and in all our dealings with the Hungarian Government.”
The Dún Laoghaire TD said, “we actually need to take concrete action.”
Ward, chair of the Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs, said, “if we stand back and allow it to happen, then what is the point of being part of a European Union?”
Last year, Fianna Fáil TD and Minister for Finance Michael McGrath was named as Ireland’s nominee for European Commissioner and was subsequently appointed to the second Von Der Leyen Cabinet as European Commissioner for Justice.
McGrath’s role specifically focuses on the rule of law, something which Hungary has regularly been accused of breaching since Viktor Orbán took office in 2010.
Speaking in May, McGrath said that Hungary stands to be hit with further fines by the European Commission if it keeps butting up against established European rules surrounding rule of law.
Ward said that the kid gloves should be taken off with regard to Hungary.
“What do we do if Hungary still thumbs its nose? What do we do if we withdraw the funding, criticise them and decry what we all know to be wrong, and they still do nothing about it?”
“Where is the rule of law toolbox if we cannot use it to actually effect change and enforce the law we have all signed up to as part of the équipe communautaire and as part of the various treaties of fundamental rights and of functioning of the European Union? What do we do if they still say and do nothing?”
Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae said, “we will continue to work closely to monitor developments and raise our concerns as well as continuing to support civil society organisations working to defend our fundamental EU values in Hungary.”
“There is right and wrong in the world, and what is happening at present is obviously fundamentally wrong.”
Hungary has now banned Pride events in the nation, with dozens of MEPs planning to travel to Budapest this month in defiance of the Hungarian government.
In March, the Hungarian parliament passed a law which banned Pride marches under the pretence that Pride events would be in breach of the 2021 law.
This week, it was revealed that a quarter of American multinational firms that previously sponsored Dublin Pride have backed out of sponsoring this year’s event, fearing reprisal from the hardline social conservative stance of Donald Trump and his administration.