"Similarly Ireland has recently reinstituted blasphemy laws"
That is not true.
Blasphemy has always been a crime since the formation of our country. It's in our constitution, which is embarrassingly old-fashioned and the new government has committed to reforming it. As such, removing the blasphemy law requires a referendum, which we have been promised along with about 3 others in 2012. It was a legal necessity to update the law in regard to blasphemy as it was in legal limbo since it was found to be unenforceable years ago. It has to be in law because it's in our constitution. It is still practically unenforceable due to its wording, something the Minsiter for Justice admitted to.
"given the demographics of Ireland, almost certainly to protect the Catholic church from certain forms of criticis"
Also not true. There are no mainstream groups supporting retaining the blasphemy law. Even church leaders, for what it's worth, have spoken out against it. The government at present also has the weakest relationship with the church, probably the weakest in the history of our state. Our Prime Minister has attacked the church and notably the Vatican mercilessly since taking office and the Minister for Education is attempting to take lots of schools out of church ownership.
It has to be in law because it's in our constitution
Yeah I've heard that too, and could well be true. But we're almost 20 years after the X Case, and it's not put into law when a woman can access an abortion. :P
That's not really a correct comparison. The criteria for legal abortions were not introduced to the constitution after the X case. You're thinking of the eighth amendment, a decade earlier. The thirteenth and fourteenth amendments which resulted from the X case were in relation to allowing women are free to travel abroad and get information while still in Ireland as a result.
That is not true.
Blasphemy has always been a crime since the formation of our country. It's in our constitution, which is embarrassingly old-fashioned and the new government has committed to reforming it. As such, removing the blasphemy law requires a referendum, which we have been promised along with about 3 others in 2012. It was a legal necessity to update the law in regard to blasphemy as it was in legal limbo since it was found to be unenforceable years ago. It has to be in law because it's in our constitution. It is still practically unenforceable due to its wording, something the Minsiter for Justice admitted to.
"given the demographics of Ireland, almost certainly to protect the Catholic church from certain forms of criticis"
Also not true. There are no mainstream groups supporting retaining the blasphemy law. Even church leaders, for what it's worth, have spoken out against it. The government at present also has the weakest relationship with the church, probably the weakest in the history of our state. Our Prime Minister has attacked the church and notably the Vatican mercilessly since taking office and the Minister for Education is attempting to take lots of schools out of church ownership.