Results 1-20 of 32 for blasphemy speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Blasphemy (Abolition of Offences and Related Matters) Bill 2019: Second Stage (25 Sep 2019)

David Norris: ...homage that is due to God Almighty, and so on. Those are inappropriate, in my opinion. To look at it this way, the great dean of St. Patrick's, Jonathan Swift, would be absolutely banged up on a blasphemy charge for A Modest Proposaland for his various diatribes on religion. The great dean, Jonathan Swift, would be up in court if we maintained this legislation. There have been a series...

Seanad: Blasphemy (Abolition of Offences and Related Matters) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (25 Sep 2019)

David Norris: These blasphemy laws are used to target these Christians.

Seanad: Blasphemy (Abolition of Offences and Related Matters) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (25 Sep 2019)

David Norris: Using blasphemy laws.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Jan 2019)

David Norris: .... He interviewed a man about his life as a gay man in Egypt where homosexuality is not illegal. However, gay men who are consenting male adults in private are consistently nowadays arrested for blasphemy, immorality and debauchery. I would like to ask that this House requests the Leader to get the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to send a strong protest, on behalf of the House,...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 May 2017)

David Norris: I agree completely with the previous speaker who raises a very important issue. I wish to raise another important issue for this country, that of blasphemy. I ask the Leader to arrange for a debate on this issue, to include a discussion on whether the Government will consider holding a referendum, if necessary, which could be tagged on to one of the other referenda that will be held. The...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Tom Arnold (16 Jan 2014)

David Norris: An example is the blasphemy business, which was complete nonsense. I remember saying, when the Bill on blasphemy was debated in the House, that within a matter of weeks some of the Muslim countries would point to Ireland as an example. Within a month Pakistan did so, but both Houses pushed the legislation through on the instruction of the Government. That is another example of why we...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Nov 2012)

David Norris: ..., I am interested in human rights. In terms of proportionality, what grieves me, as someone who loves and appreciates the whole Jewish culture and the State of Israel in its historic role, is the blasphemy against the fundamental ethos of Judaism in the killing of women and children. I never thought I would live to see this day, and I regret that I have. Account must also be taken of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Discussion with Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Iran (10 Oct 2012)

David Norris: ...not appoint such punishments. How can the Iranian Government purport to erect itself as a greater moral authority than the holy prophet himself? That seems to be an arrogance that is very close to blasphemy. I also raised the question of the Jewish people with them. I have been accused by Israel of being anti-Semitic. If everybody thinks I am a different thing, perhaps some little...

Seanad: Foreign Conflicts (19 Jan 2011)

David Norris: ...Walsh gave me this permission as I ask the Minister of State if it is possible for him to give any information on the position in Pakistan. A woman, Ms Asia Bibi, has been sentenced to death for blasphemy, with the act including a defence of the Christian religion. People are being condemned to death for converting, so what kind of freedom is that? I read a book over Christmas which was...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Nov 2009)

David Norris: ...that Ireland which had been seen as a leading country when it came to social rights had fallen from grace. It is now being used as an example by countries such as Pakistan which recently cited our blasphemy law. I want to give a specific local instance of what is happening without much being said in public about it, that is, the takeover by the Government of community development...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

David Norris: He is suggesting that we add a referendum to remove blasphemy to the second referendum on the Lisbon treaty.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

David Norris: The Government can get the blasphemy law through first.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

David Norris: I accept the Minister's invitation to travel to Dundalk and knock on doors with him. The Minister can do Lisbon and I will do blasphemy.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

David Norris: The Minister spoke about the urgent necessity for fixing this because there had been a case some time ago on blasphemy that was rather unusual and unlikely to be repeated. I do not believe the judges in that case directed the Oireachtas to make the changes the Minister is talking about. Even if they did, it is clear from a study of the record that this and many other Ministers have blithely...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

David Norris: There is such a thing as blasphemy, as I said on the Order of Business. Blasphemy was outlined by Mr. Michael O'Brien, when he talked about the treatment he suffered in an institution where he was beaten and raped and the next day the host was placed in his mouth by the same men. That seems to be something that is blasphemous, being in defiance of the decency of God and man. In terms of...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

David Norris: ..., when shown in the Abbey Theatre, was that it was not half hot enough. No one was actually offended. There was an interesting piece in the Irish Examiner a while ago whose headline was "Sinister blasphemy law would play into the hands of religious nut cases". It continued: If Jesus were in Ireland today, under the new law, wouldn't he be one of its first victims, held in Portlaoise,...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

David Norris: ...with by other laws, for example, those pertaining to conduct likely to provoke a breach of the peace, public disorder or similar. Thus, they are already covered. In other jurisdictions, of course, blasphemy is much more of a live concept. Quite recently the Pakistani Supreme Court upheld a judgment that only death was the appropriate punishment for blasphemy. The journalist Sayed Pervis...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

David Norris: ...society, and the term "necessary" must be taken quite literally and means the restriction must not be merely useful or reasonable. The Minister suggested the re-introduction of the offence of blasphemy is useful. From his point of view politically it may well be. However, he has certainly demonstrated that it is unnecessary, and for that reason it fails the test of the fundamental...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

David Norris: ...where Irish citizens will be exposed to risk from other courts, which is highly dangerous. The prophet Michael Nugent is the author of an entirely new religion and expects it to be protected from blasphemy. I regret the absence of the Minister, Deputy Ahern, because he would be very pleased to learn he is at the centre of this new devotion. It is called the "Church of Dermotology" and it...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2009)

David Norris: ...of very loose definitions. I am astonished by the behaviour of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Dermot Ahern, in the other House. He has agreed to cut the fines for the blasphemy sections of the law from €100,000 to €25,000, and said yesterday in the Dáil that the draft of the legislation on blasphemy has been deliberately drawn up to make it virtually...