IRELAND: Minister for Justice Michael McDowell yesterday praised the "vast majority" of the Irish Muslim community for their response to the publication of a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad.
While there has been strong criticism from Muslim leaders over the publication of the cartoon in an Irish newspaper, the response of the community has been peaceful.
Mr McDowell said: "The vast majority of the people of the Islamic faith in Ireland are reasonable and intelligent people who value the constitutional values of our society."
Mr McDowell said he did not want to comment on the decision of the Irish Daily Star to reproduce the cartoon last week, but defended the right of free speech as in integral part of the Constitution.
"Everyone that comes to Ireland and participates in the building of Irish society does so on the basis of a written Constitution that guarantees freedom of speech," Mr McDowell said.
"I think everybody involved in this furore should take a few good deep breaths and think about whether the destruction of life and property is proportionate to anything that appears in a newspaper tens of thousands of miles away from where they live," he added.
In response to The Star's publication, he said: "That's a matter for The Star. As may be obvious to some people, I'm not in charge of editorial policy in The Star, and I don't intend to become responsible for it either.
"That's the essence of a liberal democracy that I am not in a position to dictate what appears in newspapers. The Government opinion on this is not what counts, we have to remember we live in a liberal republic," he said.
In Dublin, increased Garda security has been provided at the Danish embassy and at the private residences of the ambassador and his senior officials according to Government sources.
