In response to my email (dated 7th January) about the Blasphemy Law I received this letter dated 8th January.
Dear Mr Street,
thank you for your email of 7th January. I will certainly listen to tomorrow's debate before making any decision in respect of the blasphemy law. In principle I agree with you and I do not believe that the blasphemy laws serve any useful purpose and indeed, they may have a perverse effect by raising the expectation of some religious minorities for protection against criticism of their own practices. The reality is, however, that the law has ceased to have an effect as the courts made clear last year when a private prosecuation was thrown out. If parliamentary time were given to repealing every law that has become defunct, we would do little else with our parliamentary time.
Yours sincerely
Desmond Swayne TD MP
and a further letter dated 10th January 2008
Dear Mr Street,
Further to my letter of 8th January, as you will see from the enclosures, I sponsored the amendment to abolish the offence of blasphemy. In the event, the amendment was withdrawn because the Government has conceded and it has undertaken to bring forward its own amendment in the Lords after consultation.
Yours sincerely
Desmond Swayne TD MP
He was one of 76 signatories to move the following Clause:-
'The offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel are abolished'.
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