Come on Ciaran, there’s an easy way out of this!

Three pieces of nonsense are doing the rounds with regards to the blasphemy section of the defamation bill:

1. The government have been saying that no one will be prosecuted under it. Really? Ok. Let’s hear John Gormley, Eamonn Ryan or Ciaran Cuffe promise to personally pay anyone’s costs and fine if they are prosecuted and convicted. After all, it’ll never happen, right?

2. That it is worded in such a way as to defend pieces of artistic, political or social merit. Really? Think you can get a 60 year old judge to accept that about South Park?

3. That if we don’t pass this, we will need a referendum. Why now, all of a sudden? But even accepting that, let’s pass this law anyway, but instead of a €25,000 fine, make it a €25 fine. The constitution is satisfied, and the fine is so nominal as to be useless, which is what the Greens say is the effective outcome of the law anyway.

Why will the Greens not do that? Why?

Lads, you’ve got to snap out of it. This is slavishly following Fianna Fail for no good reason. It’s not as if it’ll bring down the government if you say no. The alternative is to confirm that the Green Party just can’t be relied upon to curb FF’s worst excesses, and I’m sorry, but that is why many people voted for you.