Police are reportedly investigating comments made by Stephen Fry on a TV show after a viewer complained that they were blasphemous.
Officers in the Republic of Ireland are understood to be looking into whether the British comedian committed an offence under the Defamation Act.
It comes after the 59-year-old spoke about God during an interview with Irish broadcaster RTE in February 2015.
According to the Irish Independent, officers have contacted the man who made the report and a full investigation is now due to be carried out.
Under the 2009 act, a person who publishes or utters blasphemous material “shall be guilty of an offence” and can by liable of a fine of up to €25,000 (£21,100).
Fry made the comments on The Meaning of Life show, hosted by Gay Byrne.
The TV presenter was asked what he might say to God at the gates of heaven.
Fry replied: “How dare you create a world in which there is such misery? It’s not our fault?
“It’s not right. It’s utterly, utterly evil. Why should I respect a capricious, mean-minded, stupid god who creates a world which is so full of injustice and pain?”
Fry said that Greek gods “didn’t present themselves as being all seeing, all wise, all beneficent”.
He added: “Because the god who created this universe, if it was created by god, is quite clearly a maniac, an utter maniac, totally selfish.
“We have to spend our lives on our knees thanking him. What kind of god would do that?”
A clip of the video on YouTube has been viewed more than seven million times.
After the show was aired Fry said he was “absolutely astonished” by some of the reaction he had seen on social media.
He told the BBC: “I don’t think I mentioned once any particular religion and I certainly didn’t intend, and in fact I know I didn’t say anything offensive towards any particular religion.”
Police said they will not comment on an ongoing investigation.