Blasphemy involves acting or speaking in an offensive way about God or things held to be sacred (AFP Photo/FRAN CAFFREY) |
Dublin
(AFP) - Ireland will hold a referendum on October 26 to repeal its constitutional
law forbidding blasphemy, Dublin announced on Friday.
The
constitution of the Irish state currently states: "The publication or
utterance of blasphemous, seditious, or indecent matter is an offence which
shall be punishable in accordance with law."
But the
legislation is generally held to be ineffectual and outdated in contemporary
Ireland.
In May,
citizens voted to overturn an abortion ban by a landslide 66 percent,
demonstrating the waning grip of the Catholic church on the once-devout nation.
Last year,
Health Minister Simon Harris called the law "silly" and "a
little embarrassing", according to The Irish Times.
Former
justice minister Dermot Ahern reportedly wanted such a referendum in 2009, but
was unable to hold one in the midst of the economic downturn.
The vote
required to repeal the law -- a proposed 37th amendment to the constitution --
will now be held on the same day as Ireland's presidential election, in an
apparent bid to reduce costs.
"Whatever
your views are on the proposals in the referendum, can I take this opportunity
to encourage voters to go to their polling station," said Housing Minister
Eoghan Murphy in a statement.
There had
also been speculation in the Irish press that a referendum would be held this
autumn to remove wording in the constitution referring to a woman's place as
"in the home".
But it was
postponed earlier in September, as politicians continue mulling how to reword
it.
Speaking to
AFP, a government spokesman said there were no plans for such a vote "at
this time".
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