New Year’s Eve Countdown Show on RTÉ One.
The show featured former RTÉ News anchor Aengus Mac Grianna – who later apologised – reading a satirical news bulletin about God being arrested for sexual harassment.
The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin, denounced the broadcast as “deeply offensive and blasphemous”.
Ireland voted to remove blasphemy from the Constitution in a 2018 referendum.
It followed calls to reform blasphemy laws after gardaí had to launch an investigation into English actor Stephen Fry in 2017 over comments he made on RTÉ show
The Meaning of Life, hosted by the late Gay Byrne.
Northern Ireland viewer issues RTE blasphemy complaint belfasttelegraph.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from belfasttelegraph.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
A TV viewer has issued a complaint alleging that an RTÉ comedy sketch which depicted God as a rapist is blasphemous under the laws in Northern Ireland.
The person this week made the complaint to Crimestoppers in the UK, asking for the matter to be referred to the PSNI to investigate as the programme aired in Northern Ireland and was available to watch on the RTÉ Player there.
Blasphemy is no longer an offence in the Republic, but it remains an offence under common law in Northern Ireland.
However, a PSNI source said they likely have no jurisdiction to investigate the matter.
Initially RTÉ refused to delete the segment from the online version of the programme, but it will now do so as a result of the review by the standards board.
The clip, which was part of a Waterford Whispers News sketch, showed “God” being led away by gardaí for “sexual harassment” offenses.
The RTÉ Editorial Standards Board said the sketch caused “undue offence” and did not give “due respect” for religious beliefs.
The Board also found the sketch did not comply with the provision in the RTÉ Journalism and Content Guidelines regarding sensitivity to people’s religious beliefs.
After consideration of the RTÉ Editorial Standards Board s findings, RTÉ has made the following decisions:
The clip, which was part of a Waterford Whispers News sketch, showed “God” being led away by gardaí for “sexual harassment” offenses.
The RTÉ Editorial Standards Board said the sketch caused “undue offence” and did not give “due respect” for religious beliefs.
The Board also found the sketch did not comply with the provision in the RTÉ Journalism and Content Guidelines regarding sensitivity to people’s religious beliefs.
After consideration of the RTÉ Editorial Standards Board s findings, RTÉ has made the following decisions:
RTÉ will make a voluntary disclosure of non-compliance to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and engage with the authority in this process;