Irish justice minister pulls state-funded ad telling grandparents to ask consent before hugs
Film called inappropriate and demeaning by the government that paid for it, senator asks whether consent forms await at Dublin airport
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Irish politicians reject ad warning against hugging family without asking for consent
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Screenshot from the ad
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Screenshot from Irish ad
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A screenshot from the Irish ad
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Ireland's justice minister has pulled a government-funded advert that warned grandparents against hugging family members without asking consent first. Jim O'Callaghan said the video "does not represent the views of the Government" and was "both inappropriate and demeaning to grandparents", adding that it "did not advance" the aim of ensuring people understand consent in sexual relationships and was "counterproductive". The film, made by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre for its We-Consent campaign, had begun airing only last month.
The ad showed grandparents greeting their grandchildren, one child receptive to a hug and one not. "Not everyone wants a hug, even from the people who love them," the narrator said. "Awkward? Maybe. Important? Absolutely." The campaign was funded by the government; the disavowal came from the government. Senator Gareth Scahill of Fine Gael called the video "a waste of public funds" and asked whether consent forms would now be signed at the arrival halls in Dublin, Shannon, Knock and Cork airports. Politicians from multiple parties have disowned the film.
The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre told Irish broadcaster RTE that We-Consent is a long-term campaign to increase the awareness and practice of consent in Ireland, and that its three videos rested on the premise that boundaries should be respected from an early age. The charity said it would remove the videos from its social media channels while reflecting on their positive effect.
Scahill credited the centre's work advocating for victims of rape and sexual violence, including children, and still put the cost in words the government has not contradicted: public funds, wasted. The production budget is spent either way; the withdrawal costs the minister nothing.
The videos now come down while the charity reflects on their positive effect. In 2024, the Irish Independent reported that reports of sexual assault in Ireland had nearly doubled.