Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

We should be a little careful when we call for a referendum, in case we do not get the result we want. When I proposed an amendment in the Dáil to include in the Bill the section that is being discussed by this House now, the Labour Party tried to amend it. It was clear that the Labour Party, in tabling its amendments, had been advised that an offence of blasphemy needed to be provided for. Deputy Rabbitte ultimately spoke against his own amendments, which was ludicrous. I accept that Senator Bacik has not tabled any amendments today. The argument made in the Dáil by her colleague, Deputy Rabbitte, was inconsistent with his efforts to amend what is now section 36 of the Bill, which deals with the publication or utterance of blasphemous matter. His two amendments sought to reduce the fine provided for in that section and to provide, in effect, for the measures contained in the expanded section 36(3), which was included at a later stage. By tabling those amendments, the Labour Party acknowledged that an offence of blasphemy had to be provided for in this legislation. Ultimately, Deputy Rabbitte chose not to speak in favour of his amendments. He chose to go with Fine Gael because he saw what way the wind was blowing. It is typical of Opposition Members to speak out of both sides of their mouths in such a manner.