The Constitutional Convention is set to consider blasphemy at its next meeting this weekend. 
The meeting is set to hear from Atheist Ireland, the Humanist Association of Ireland, theologian Professor Patrick Hannon and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties.
Other contributors are to be confirmed.
The Convention will also hear from a number of expert speakers on the issue. Dr Neville Cox and Eoin O’Dell, law lecturers from Trinity College Dublin are set to speak about the history of the blasphemy law in Ireland and options for reform.
Professor Maeve Cooke of the School of Philosophy in UCD will give an address on Tolerance and Diversity.
Article 40.6.1.i. of the 1937 Constitution, which deals with blasphemy, states “The publication or utterance of blasphemous, seditious or indecent matter is an offence which shall be punishable in accordance with law”.
Section 36 of the Defamation Act 2009 created a new offence of “Publication or utterance of blasphemous matter”.
The offence consists of uttering material “grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion”, when the intent and result is “outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion”.
It carries a maximum fine of €25,000.
A defence is permitted for work of “genuine literary, artistic, political, scientific, or academic value”.
The Convention will vote on whether to hold a referendum on reforming or abolishing the current Constitutional provision, or whether to leave it as is.