Results 1-20 of 24 for blasphemy speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Process (4 Dec 2019)

Charles Flanagan: There is one Government Bill in my Department currently awaiting Committee Stage: the Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Decisions on Supervision Measures) Bill. The Blasphemy (Abolition of Offences and Related Matters) Bill 2019 completed Committee Stage on 4 December 2019.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Blasphemy (Abolition of Offences and Related Matters) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2019)

Charles Flanagan: ...Reid, Ms Noreen Walsh, and Mr. Terence O'Hagan. The Bill gives further effect to the thirty-seventh amendment to the Constitution by removing the statutory provisions that define an offence of blasphemy. Members will recall that the Thirty-Seventh Amendment of the Constitution, which was approved by the people in last year’s referendum, removed the requirement that publishing or...

Blasphemy (Abolition of Offences and Related Matters) Bill 2019: Second Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to be here with the Deputies to present the Blasphemy (Abolition of Offences and Related Matters) Bill 2019, which gives effect to the outcome of a referendum to amend the Constitution. Deputies will recall that until late last year, Article 40.6.1°i of the Constitution specified that the publication or utterance of...

An Bille um an Seachtú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Cion a aisghairm arb éard é ní diamhaslach a fhoilsiú nó a aithris) 2018: An Dara Céim - Thirty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution (Repeal of offence of publication or utterance of blasphemous matter) Bill 2018: Second Stage (18 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: ...broad welcome they have given to the proposal to proceed along the lines suggested. The background to the proposal has already been explained. It has been emphasised that, if the offence of blasphemy is to be removed from the Statute Book, a constitutional amendment is an essential first step. This is because, as Deputy O'Callaghan has stressed, the inclusion in the Constitution of...

An Bille um an Seachtú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Cion a aisghairm arb éard é ní diamhaslach a fhoilsiú nó a aithris) 2018: An Dara Céim - Thirty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution (Repeal of offence of publication or utterance of blasphemous matter) Bill 2018: Second Stage (18 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: ...we have moved from the 20th into the 21st century. Fundamental values are timeless, but some concepts are deeply rooted in a particular time and a particular view of what is socially appropriate. Blasphemy is one such concept, and it is with the removal of the reference to blasphemy from our Constitution that we are concerned this evening. Before proceeding further, I express my...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Constitutional Amendments (5 Jul 2018)

Charles Flanagan: ..., and subject to passage of the necessary Bills by the Houses of the Oireachtas and formal confirmation of the polling date, it is proposed to hold referendums in October 2018 on the offence of blasphemy (Article 40.6.1°1) and on a woman's life within the home (Article 41.2). Commitments to hold these referendums are included in the Programme for a Partnership Government. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: ...in passing something that relates directly to the issues we are discussing. I received approval yesterday to proceed with legislation that will facilitate a constitutional amendment on the matter of blasphemy. In the normal course of events, I would expect to make that legislation available for pre-legislative scrutiny. In the circumstances, the committee might consider a waiver. I...

Other Questions: Referendum Campaigns (23 May 2018)

Charles Flanagan: ..., and subject to passage of the necessary Bills by the Houses of the Oireachtas and formal confirmation of the polling date, it is proposed to hold referendums in October 2018 on the offence of blasphemy - Article 40.6.1°.i - and on a woman's life within the home - Article 41.2. These referendums were the subject of recommendations made by the Constitutional Convention and are...

Other Questions: Referendum Campaigns (23 May 2018)

Charles Flanagan: ...informed the preliminary thinking as to what the question might be that will be the subject matter of the referendum. The context is that there is need for a referendum on the specific issue of blasphemy because unless the constitutional reference is removed, the offence will be maintained on the Statute Book. In the past, the existence of this offence has been misconstrued and used to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Constitutional Amendments (6 Feb 2018)

Charles Flanagan: ..., and subject to passage of the necessary Bills by the Houses of the Oireachtas and formal confirmation of the polling date, it is proposed to hold referendums in October 2018 on the offence of blasphemy (Article 40.6.1°1) and on a woman's life within the home (Article 41.2). These referendums were the subject of recommendations made by the Convention on the Constitution and are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Constitutional Amendments (5 Dec 2017)

Charles Flanagan: ...timetable, and subject to passage of the necessary Bills by the Houses of the Oireachtas and formal confirmation of the polling date, it is proposed to hold referendums in October 2018 on the offence of blasphemy (Article 40.6.1) and on a woman's life within the home (Article 41.2).  These referendums were the subject of recommendations made by the Convention on the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Referendum Data (4 Oct 2017)

Charles Flanagan: ...; Under this timetable and subject to passage of Bills by the Houses of the Oireachtas and formal confirmation of the polling date, it is proposed to hold referendums in October 2018 on the offence of blasphemy (Article 40.6.1) and regarding a woman's life within the home (Article 41.2), and in June 2019 on a proposal to reduce the length of the period or periods for which a couple...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Cases (6 Dec 2016)

Charles Flanagan: ...The Irish Ambassador in Ankara has raised this case with the Pakistani authorities on a number of occasions. Officials in my Department have also raised this case, and our concerns regarding the blasphemy laws and persecution of Christians generally, with the Embassy of Pakistan in Dublin. I personally raised Ireland’s concerns on the blasphemy laws with my Pakistani...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services Representations (16 Jul 2015)

Charles Flanagan: ...Foreign Ministry representative and raised this case, noting that it is a matter of grave concern in Ireland. Officials in my Department have also raised this case, and our concerns regarding the blasphemy laws and persecution of Christians generally, with the Embassy of Pakistan. The European Union also continues to raise this conviction with the Pakistan authorities, including...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Death Penalty (9 Jun 2015)

Charles Flanagan: ...Foreign Ministry representative and raised this case, noting that it is a matter of grave concern in Ireland. Officials in my Department have also raised this case, and our concerns regarding the blasphemy laws and persecution of Christians generally, with the Embassy of Pakistan. On 18 October 2014, a spokesperson for the European External Action Service expressed deep concern and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (22 Jan 2015)

Charles Flanagan: ...the concerns of the Irish people about the persecution of Christians in Pakistan to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad on a number of occasions, most recently in November 2014. Officials in my Department have also raised our concerns regarding the blasphemy laws and persecution of Christians generally, with the Embassy of Pakistan in Dublin. The EU adopted a 5 year engagement...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (2 Dec 2014)

Charles Flanagan: ...Ministry representative and raised this case, noting that it is a matter of grave concern in Ireland.Officials in my Department have also recently raised this case, and our concerns regarding the blasphemy laws and persecution of Christians generally, with the Embassy of Pakistan. Freedom of religion or belief and freedom of opinion and expression play a central role in the EU’s...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (27 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: ...Ireland. Officials in my Department also keep in regular contact with the Embassy of Pakistan on this, and a number of other issues. Officials recently raised this case, and our concerns regarding the blasphemy laws and persecution of Christians generally, with the Embassy of Pakistan. At EU level, freedom of religion or belief and freedom of opinion and expression play a central role...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (11 Nov 2014)

Charles Flanagan: ...by the Irish Ambassador accredited to Pakistan (from Ankara, Turkey) to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad in 2013. The Ambassador also expressed our disquiet at the nature of Pakistan’s blasphemy law. Last week, on 6 November, our Ambassador to Pakistan visited Islamabad. In the course of his meetings there, he raised this case with a senior Foreign Ministry...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (23 Oct 2014)

Charles Flanagan: ...to Pakistan called upon the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad in 2013 to convey our concern at the conviction and sentence. He also expressed our disquiet at the nature of Pakistan’s blasphemy law. I have asked our Ambassador to Pakistan (who is accredited from Turkey) to register our concern at the recent High Court decision with the Pakistan Foreign Ministry during his...