The Irish Convention on the Constitution is a forum of 100 people which was set up in 2012 to consider and discuss proposed amendments to the Constitution of Ireland, 1937.
According to the Constitution, blasphemy is an offence:- "The publication or utterance of blasphemous, seditious, or indecent matter is an offence which shall be punishable in accordance with law".
The Convention recently voted in favour of recommending that the offence of blasphemy in the Constitution be altered and replaced with a new general provision to include incitement to religious hatred. 61% of members of the Convention voted in favour of a referendum to this effect. The Convention also voted by a narrow margin of 1% in favour of removing the legislative provision for the offence of blasphemy.
The Defamation Act 2009 currently makes it an offence for a person to publish or utter blasphemous matter. On conviction on indictment, such a person shall be liable to a fine not exceeding €25,000.
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