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THE GROUP TASKED WITH overhauling the Constitution for the modern era is to discuss whether the offence of blasphemy should be removed from Bunreacht na hÉireann.
At the seventh meeting which takes place today and tomorrow in Dublin, members of the Convention will hear from academics and legal experts on whether the controversial section should go.
The Irish Constitution explicitly states that blasphemy – speaking sacrilegiously about God – should be a crime, although no-one has ever actually been prosecuted under it. Article 40.6.1.i states:
The publication or utterance of blasphemous, seditious, or indecent matter is an offence which shall be punishable in accordance with law.
Blasphemy became a criminal offence in 2009 under defamation laws introduced by then-Minister Dermot Ahern, who argued that the Constitution requires that blasphemy be regarded as a criminal offence.
Convention chair Tom Arnold said that that a lot of people feel strongly about the provision, saying:
The strong level of public interest in the subject is evident from the high number of submissions that we received through the website and also from those members of the public that have raised it at our regional meetings.
Sinn Féin Senator Kathryn Reilly pointed to a UN report which said that blasphemy laws are not compatible with human rights.
“Blasphemy is not a valid offence in public law and should not be a criminal offence in a democratic society that respects diversity,” she said.
Separately, the Irish Council of Churches – which represents some Protestant and Independent churches – said that the current reference to blasphemy is ‘largely obsolete’ and could be seen as part of a range of measures used to ‘justify violence and oppression against minorities in other parts of the world’.
Members of the Convention – which is made up of representatives from the general public and politicians – will thrash out both sides of the argument before voting on what stance it will recommend to Government.
The Government will then have four months to hold an Oireachtas debate on the issue and decide whether or not to go ahead with a referendum if it is required.
The Convention will meet today and tomorrow in Malahide in Dublin to discuss the issue. It will be the seventh meeting of the group since it was convened.
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In other news Water Charges will cause a drop in income…
Well, lets face it…..it’s €160-€260 less to spend in your local community so businesses will take a hit.
In other news the drop in inflation means more disposable income in your pocket at the end of each week
If prices are down 0.6% would this not mean that we had deflation in 2014. Why then does this say that we had an inflation rate of 0.2% last year.
http://www.inflation.eu/inflation-rates/ireland/historic-inflation/cpi-inflation-ireland-2014.aspx
JTM..petrol/diesel/home heating costs rising and quantitive easing of the € will drive up imports. Disposable income (if such a thing exists) will be devoured quickly.
Let’s not contribute to inflation then – don’t pay!
When are they going to get it through their thick heads?
We are NOT paying. Not ever. NEVER!!!
And fuel prices have begun to creep back up again. 6c increase in last 2 weeks at one station I pass daily.
” mainly due to the low cost of fuel” well that lasted all of 2 weeks at most, prices are climbing again at the fuel pumps, up 5 cent in less that 2 weeks . and what about the up coming increase of nearly 50% in the pso levy (due in october by the time vat is added it will push it over 50%) how come there is no report on that ?
Did not see any mention today about Michael noonan saying maintenance bill for government buildings to be hiked by 1 million because they need new carpets for health and safety because they are frayed and new phones. God forbid that they have to walk on worn carpets while children with cancer can’t get medical cards. Shows where priority lies with this government.
I hear the bar seats are also worn, better change them while their at it.
I just wish they hadn’t cut funding for grammar-school from the budget.
My employer which will remain anonymous offered us 3 free bottles of water a day few months back, still on minimum wage however
Topaz?
Certain contacts do not permit certain things to be said about certain company and/or people.
I also offered them a free screen wash if the had a car.
Yeah, yeah Journal. It’s good news all the way, today and every day. Seriously, Journal, would you care to have an oul’ editorial conference sometime, after which you can make clear to your readership what, if any, your principles are.
Good news?, the only reason that prices are going down is because demand has dropped due to repeated drops in people’s spending power.
Inflation increases debt, how can debt be anyway good in anything?
Gulp!
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