 When the police dropped the investigation because they could not find a large number of people who were outraged by Fry's comments, Nugent said that this created a dangerous incentive for people to demonstrate outrage when they see or hear something that they believe is blasphemous.In 2018 Nugent welcomed a new Government decision to hold a referendum to remove the offence of blasphemy from the constitution.He said that even in the absence of prosecutions the law was causing real damage to freedom of expression in Ireland, and to the country's reputation abroad.