“A person who publishes or utters blasphemous matter shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable upon conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding €100,000.” An archaic, perhaps medieval hangover from the past? On the contrary – in fact, this is actually being proposed by Minister Dermot Ahern as a new crime of blasphemous libel that will form an amendment to the Defamation Bill.
The case of a pregnant 16 year old being refused a place in a private Catholic school in Munster has caused widespread shock and disgust. The issue came to light in a report from the Ombudsman for Children’s rights.