Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan has said Ireland will hold a referendum in October to remove the offence of blasphemy from the constitution
It must take a rather rum sod
To want to make fun of a god
But our rulers deem
It okay to blaspheme
Which strikes me as just a bit odd
John Moynes
Rollingnews
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missing the point a bit, john
God can clearly look after himself and won’t be hurt by a bit of blaspheming to put him in his place now and again.
Can’t wait to see what kind of strawmen the No side will pull out this time.
…good friday will never be the same…eating a bacon sandwich with the added relish of giving offence to all the worlds major religions without the threat of being arrested as a heretic…
Alan Aykbourn! Praise Alan!
Why didn’t we do this at the same time as the last referendum?
The only way this doesn’t pass is a Bart v Martin situation.
https://youtu.be/POB3Dr0uonc
Generally referendums on big issues such as abortion are held by themselves where as smaller issues may be grouped with other vote (referenda, local or presidential election, don’t think ever with general election).
This allows for more focus on an issue which is important.
So in October we will have 3 referendums blasphemy and two others (can’t remember as there is another 3 the following year but might include voting age, voters abroad, something on president, role of woman in house)
Whyyyyyyyyy does it have to go to a referendum? Can they just get rid of it before lunch today instead? What a stupid waste of time. Jesus was gay, Mohammed rode little girls, arrest me!
I’m in favour of getting rid of it.
I’m also in favour of legislation to exile anyone who asks that question. Want to change the constitution – you must have a referendum.
#abortions4all
#rapebaby
And priorities like? Get the divorce one in! People are being bled dry paying for two processes unnecessarily!
Less money for the solicitors but sure there are always the tribunals!
a referendum costs between €10m and €20m so would make sense to put all outstanding issues into one*
*which would make it a referenda
Absolutely – it’s lunacy to have this as a stand-alone referendum. For relatively minor issues like this, done on a standalone basis, there will be no campaigns and a derisory turnout, which in my view rather takes the varnish off the democratic process.
If there is a number of relatively minor and largely uncontroversial number of changes to be made, it should be done as a sort of omnibus referendum day, with a general “vote yes to the amendments” campaign and literature that can set out in a list form why you should support each of the changes. Of course, each individual textual change will still have to be voted on separately, but it’s far better than a piecemeal approach.
seeing as they included presidential age in with marriage equality a few years ago, can’t see why blasphemy wasn’t included last month
referendum on children’s rights in 2012 had a turnout of just 33% (even lower in 1979 – adoption + seanad representation – around 25%, i think). as a standalone, this one might record a new low.
BB don’t start the whole referendum/referenda thing.
i won’t… unless someone really wants to
but it has been so quiet without those crazies around here
and peaceful
and kinder…
Put it to a vote?
– 1
Jaysus.
#hometovote crowd get ready.
Why not Repeal the Divorce BS? Oh right, Family Law solicitors wouldn’t like that.
Josepha Madigan quiet all of a sudden.