Michael Ring
Ceist:532 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the plans he has to introduce legislation in relation to religious cults. [11820/01]
Written Answers - Religious Cults.
The Constitution guarantees the free profession and practice of religion and it would be neither constitutional nor practical to proscribe or restrict organisations professing themselves as religious bodies. It would clearly be very difficult to distinguish in legislation between cults and established religions.
I might also emphasise that no organisation is above the law. The constitutional freedom to practice religion is subject to public order and morality and no one, therefore, can shelter from the civil and criminal law behind a pretence of religious practice. No organisation may detain a person against his or her own will or in any other way act unlawfully and anyone who suspects that such an organisation is acting contrary to the law should report the matter to the Garda Síochána.