Why Ireland must get rid of its disgraceful blasphemy law

A woman is facing execution in Pakistan, a country which cites the Irish constitution’s prohibition on insulting religion as ‘best practice’



Asia Bibi, as pictured in a photo handed out by her family in 2010. Photograph: HO/REUTERS

Monday 11 April 2016 06.48 EDT
Roy Greenslade

Ireland is the only country in the developed western world to have introduced a blasphemy law in the 21st century.

The disgraceful law, passed in 2009 and introduced in January 2010, carries a maximum fine of €25,000. It prohibits the “publishing or uttering [of] matter that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters sacred by any religion, thereby intentionally causing outrage among a substantial number of adherents of that religion”.

A government promise of a referendum about the law was broken despite the then prime minister, Enda Kenny, previously agreeing that one was necessary.

The failure to do so outraged Irish atheists and secularists. Michael Nugent, chairperson of Atheist Ireland, believes blasphemy laws are inimical to free speech, and regarded the failure to hold a plebiscite as “a betrayal”.

http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2016/apr/11/why-ireland-must-get-rid-of-its-disgraceful-blasphemy-law