CPACD

This post looks at some of the issues in Northern Ireland.  The post-Brexit border question remains unresolved.  Considerable concern exists over the absence of a functioning Northern Ireland executive and Assembly both of which are key elements in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.  The post also looks at some criminal justice questions including the continuation of non jury trial in some situations. Brexit and the border: The question of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland continues to be unresolved in Brexit negotiations.  Post-Brexit there will be a land border between Northern Ireland (non-EU) and Ireland (EU member State).  It has been argued that any return of a "hard border" will damage the Good Friday Agreement peace process and that sectarian violence could return - Business Insider UK - 2 April 2018 .  How this issue will be resolved - if at all - remains to be seen but a return to a controlled border will be inevitable ...

Ireland has held a referendum in which the majority voted to remove the offence of Blasphemy from their law - The Observer 27 October 2018 .  The referendum saw 64.85% vote yes to remove the offence of blasphemy, with 35.15% in favour of retaining it.  A total of 951,650 people voted for the change, with 515,808 opposing the move. The decision on a turnout of 43.79%, was the latest reflection of seismic social and political changes in Ireland, which the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar , has described as a “quiet revolution”. In 1985 the Law Commission for England and Wales recommended the abolition (without replacement) of the common law criminal offences of Blasphemy and Blasphemous Libel - see Offences against Religion and Public Worship .  The Law Commission noted that the offences extended only to the Christian Religion.  After consideration of arguments for and against retaining the offences, the report concluded that "where members of society have a multiplicity of...