Ahern to press ahead with ‘arcane’ blasphemy law

JUSTICE Minister Dermot Ahern has admitted the offence of blasphemy is an “arcane concept”, but he is pressing ahead with plans to keep it in the law.

Mr Ahern told an Oireachtas committee yesterday that the Constitution stated the publication of blasphemous matter “is an offence which should be punishable in accordance with law”.

“I don’t have – and I don’t believe the Oireachtas has – the luxury of ignoring what is in the Constitution,” Mr Ahern said.