Blasphemy legislation: Highlighting a bizarre statute

Irrespective of whether the complaint that writer and broadcaster Stephen Fry might have committed blasphemy during his 2015 appearance on the RTÉ show The Meaning of Life With Gay Byrne is contrived or not, it shows that the Defamation Act 2009 is ridiculous. 

If convicted, Mr Fry might be fined up to €25,000, though how that fine might be collected — Mr Fry is not an Irish citizen — is another matter.

That the legislation remains on the statute books in a country led by Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, a man who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with other European leaders to champion free speech — and avail of a right-on photo opportunity — in the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris, just adds hypocrisy to deep farce.