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MINISTER EOGHAN MURPHY has made an order appointing Friday 26 October as the polling day for the referendum on removing blasphemy from the Constitution, with the electorate set to vote in the presidential election the same day.
A bill seeking to remove the reference to blasphemy from the Constitution passed all stages through the Oireachtas yesterday.
The 37th Amendment of the Constitution Bill was introduced by Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan in the Dáil on Tuesday, where it was passed without opposition.
Murphy today urged people to have their say on the outcome of the referendum “whatever your views are on the proposals”.
Polling will open at 7am on Friday 26 October and close at 10pm that evening.
People who wish to vote but aren’t registered to do so, should complete a supplement application form, which available from local councils or online at www.checktheregister.ie by Tuesday 9 October.
Anyone wishing to avail of a postal vote, who is not on the existing postal voters register, can do so up to Monday 1 October.
In June, Minister Flanagan received Cabinet approval to hold a referendum on the issue.
The line the minister wants deleted from the Constitution is as follows: “The publication or utterance of blasphemous, seditious, or indecent matter is an offence which shall be punishable in accordance with law.”
Speaking in the Dáil earlier this week, Flanagan said: “The provision identifies Ireland, however incorrect and misleading that might be, as a country that does not value freedom of expression and one that gives constitutional protection to a concept that many would regard as completely outmoded.
“Its very existence gives further comfort to those in other countries where the concept of blasphemy has a real meaning, one that can entail considerable suffering for those who run foul of the law that supports it.”
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Thank god for that
@Clifford Brennan: careful now.
@Clifford Brennan: shhh, careful, somebody might take a court case against you for blasphemy!
@Clifford Brennan: ah Jesus not another referendum
@Barry Somers: Its grand, i’ll just accuse them of sorcery and we’ll be even.
How many photos of elderly nuns have you walking to polling stations?
@Graham Light: They making a habit of it, you think they should show nun?
@Graham Light: haha! Was thinking same, where do they get them.
@Dunn: I dont know I am begining to think there just dressing old ladies up. She looks terrified god love her.
@Peter McGlynn: Best comment so far
I actually thinks it’s really sad. The line in the constitution as it is harms no-one. It encourages people to have higher morals, not to lower themselves to insults and foul language. I’m no fan of the Church but why change this
@Seanniemac1983: it’s called equality and freedom of thought and expression.
@Seanniemac1983: You’re kidding me right?
The blasphemy reference in our constitution caused the media to self censor in fear of being brought to court because of it.
It is praised by ultra religious country’s time and time again.
It simply has no place in our constitution, it gives special status to religions and that should never happen in any republic
@Seanniemac1983: imagine for a moment that you are critical of Scientology, you say negative things about their “religion”, they would be within their rights to bring you to court under our constitution.
This reference in our constitution doesn’t give special protection to just the catholic church, it gives it to any religion. No matter how extreme or cult like it might be.
@Seanniemac1983: you must be against free speech, thought and expression then!
@Seanniemac1983: Ah Sean.
@Seanniemac1983: It’s called freedom of speech. A disgraceful part of the constitution.
@Seanniemac1983: Pakistan and other kips praise our blasphemy laws ? I wonder why? Cos It reinforces maintaining of a theocracy. Vote the victimless crime AWAY
@Seanniemac1983: check out the other article on here about Dan Brown being sued for something in a work of fiction
@Dave O Keeffe: it’s unrelated, my apologies.
@Barry Somers: There is no offence under the Constitution. It is set out in the Defamation Act 2009. Prior to this legislation, the Supreme Court said that people cannot be convicted under the Constitutional provision. It wasn’t an offence until Dermot Ahern decided in 2009 that it was a good idea to have on the statute book.
@Seanniemac1983: thanks for this sensible comment in the midst of the other brainless mush!
@Seanniemac1983: There was an attempt to get Stephen Fry charged using it.
@Seanniemac1983: are you a fan of god?
@Seanniemac1983: bollix
Should be the most one sided referendum we’ve ever had but I’m sure there’ll still be some lunatics who find reason to oppose it.
@Rochelle: Good start there Rochelle, mud sling anyone of a different opinion than ‘the majority’ good job!
We really have lost the the ability to debate issues in Ireland.
@The Risen: Should have expected Rónán to step up to the plate. I wonder if it’ll take Mattie long to join him.
@Michael: The idea of blasphemy supporting a specific religion in the constitution goes against the fundamental spirit of a free society, there’s nothing to debate unless we want to rethink our status as a free republic. We realised this long ago since it’s so ridiculous it’s not actually enforced.
@Rochelle: I’d rather keep it there due to the fact it’s going to cost the taxpayer millions to remove a piece of legislation that hasn’t been enforced in nearly 200 years
@Ali Ní Dhomhnaill: Its won’t cost millions, as its being held alongside the presidential ballot.
@The Risen: look up the costs, you will find it’s not cheap. Even if it’s running alongside another election
What have we become! Unrecognisable country now! Fine Gael out!
@Donal: yeah, we need more old school bigotry, down with this sort of thing!
@Donal: and thank God for that. The Ireland of the past was vicious, unforgiving, homogenous, fundamentalist.
@Seán Domhnall O’Sullivan: is the ireland of today any better?
Some things are better. However, a lot is worse.
@Ali Ní Dhomhnaill: agree, homeless on rise, new evictions ev day, women dying coz the gov messed up with the cervical check debacle, affordable housing only a slogan, the intolerance to different opinions, the old church in ruins, the media the new church!
@Silence in the City: at least back then there was a sense of community.
@Ali Ní Dhomhnaill: community is alive and well among the working class. Among those who sincerely fight for better conditions.
Lets have a free-for- all rampage of verbal abuses, insults, commentary and ( so-called) ‘ free speech’. Great times ahead!
@Margate: Jesus Christ, Margate! Calm down…
@Noel Tate: Swearing..Just proven the point!!!
Good, joined up thinking at last. Time to get rid of this embarrassment from our constitution.
Why is it the useless gombeen of a minister for housing is the one to create this order? Shouldn`t it be the minister for justice and equality? Or are they just trying to make Murphy relevant by putting his name to things other than the housing debacle, Even had the useless lump out in a high viz jacket for a photo op with the ESB yesterday, as if he wasn`t in the way enough already.
@Pixie McMullen: the Minister for Justice is serving time in the naughty corner for public declaring FG’s fascist ideals.
Whens the referendum for the right to affordable homes? Why are all this government’s referenda not focussed on housing issues, on cowboy bank policy?
How about adding a yes or no referendum on should the president remain above the law and avoiding any scrutiny…
This is in the Constitution, hence no PAC involvement on presidential expenditure of tax payers money.. FFG shutting down on any eyes on such..
So Brendan Howlin says that civil disobedience is not the answer but now we’re being asked to remove the word seditious from our constitution.
@Slim Shady: its blasphemy that’s being removed
They would want to change the libel laws. the wealthy in ireland have far too much power in the courts. no wonder investigative journalism is non existent in ireland.
The atheists want “free” speech.
So long as that speech isn’t about God.
We have laws forbidding hate speech. Why shouldn’t religion be different
@Kapell Meister: Have you considered that omnipotent, omniscient entities probably don’t need any form of legal protection?
The Journal Toxicicity algorithm is blocking me from making the valid but blasphemous comment that would be appropriate to this article.
if there was an all powerful god yoke, he or she would be all powerful , so won’t care what people say about him/her /it. So , A win win really.
Sweet Jesus …
No more fear of being detained by Gardaí if you speak ill of Regina Doherty?
Well holy god.
Yes! This is relevant to my modus vivendi, cant wait, woot! woot! and so forth
The government shouldn’t be wasting money on a referendum on this issue instead of spending it to improve health care, housing etc. I think it is a shame so many Irish use God’s name so casually already without the government encouraging it.
Fluck that!
Repent you sinners.
have your say