Diverse and inclusive workforces the ‘most relaxed and happy', says Taoiseach
His comments come as US President Donald Trump has clamped down on American taxpayer spending on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) programmes, branding them a waste of money.
He was speaking in an interview with Adam Long, board director of the National LGBT Federation (NXF) ahead of this weekend's Pride parade in Dublin.
'Companies will tell you that a diversity inclusive model is the most productive workforce and the most relaxed and happy place,' said the Taoiseach.
'When you go to the Googles of this world or you go to the major companies we have, be it digital companies or pharma, it is really a diverse workforce and a happy one as a result.'
He said he visited LinkedIn recently which had a diverse workforce and staff were 'really happy' and 'in their space and in themselves'.
The Cork TD said he is 'very anti' culture wars, saying they are rampant in the UK and the US. He said Ireland should 'avoid' it.
'There's too many activists in the UK on this stuff and Ireland should just avoid it. We have our ways of doing things, we should keep on the direction of travel that we began two decades ago or more,' he said.
The Taoiseach said recent media interest over his comments in 2021 on how Irish people 'never were a homogenous group' is an example of how issues can get 'distorted'.
He made the comments in an opening address to the Glucksman conference, which Independent Ireland TD Ken O'Flynn recently called to be clarified after the remarks were shared widely on social media.
'No one said a word for four years,' said the Taoiseach.
'We are in a space where there is distortion, where there is misinformation.'
The Taoiseach affirmed support for LGBT+ people, saying on transgender people: 'Nobody should ever feel like they don't belong.'
The Government is now facing legal action from the EU if it doesn't enforce European laws on hate speech and cyber security in the coming months.
The Government last year decided to separate out controversial hate crime and hate speech legislation and drop the section on hate speech laws.
The Taoiseach disagreed with the EU Commission, saying existing laws already go beyond the proposed EU laws.
'My understanding is the Minister [for Justicer Jim O'Callaghan] believes the Commission isn't quite accurate but it's a matter and we have to work out and deal with the Commission. We want to be in compliance with the European framework,' he said.
'In our common law provisions, we have moved much further than the Commission recognises.'
He said the current hate speech laws, first enacted in 1989, were very 'far seeing' when they were implemented at the time.
Mr Martin also said the Government and the Attorney General is currently considering a ban on conversion therapy, which the last Government also promised to ban.
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