Eugene Regan (Fine Gael)

This aspect of the Defamation Bill, namely, blasphemy was not in the Bill that was initiated in this House. We never had the opportunity to debate and discuss the matter until today. It was tabled as an amendment to the Bill as passed by the Seanad by the Minister in the Dáil. The debate in the Dáil was guillotined, so there was no debate on this matter in the Dáil. As we are rushing the Bill and the Minister is choosing to rush legislation in this fashion, we have a situation today where we had a lengthy debate on the matter and identified alternative approaches which would make for better legislation, but because of the rush the Minister is not inclined to entertain the amendments tabled today. The blasphemy aspect of the Bill is a backwards step in legislation on the issue of defamation.