Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 March 2026
376. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport for an update on the repeal of the Censorship of Publications Acts 1929 to 1967; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18170/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Censorship of Publications Acts 1929 to 1967 provide for a Register of Prohibited Publications from the Censorship of Publications Board, which could by order prohibit the sale and distribution of books and periodicals if found to be indecent or obscene or have an unduly large proportion of space devoted to crime. The Register, which was last updated in 2016, currently contains nine books with the earliest dating back to 1942 and the most recent from 2016. There are currently 264 prohibited periodicals (newspapers and magazines) dating from the earliest in 1930 to the most recent in 2003.
In November 2023, Government approved the repeal of the Censorship of Publications Acts. The Decision followed an examination in the Department of Justice on the role of the Censorship of Publications Board and its Appeal Board, and the limited continuing relevance and utility of the statutory provisions related to the censorship of printed publications.
On 1 August 2025, responsibility for the Censorship of Publications, as well as the Irish Film Classification Office, transferred from the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to my Department. My Department will progress the legislation to repeal the Censorship of Publications Acts in due course. The Register remains in force pending repeal of the legislation. The latest version of the register can be found on gov.ie www.gov.ie/en/department-of-justice-home-affairs-and-migration/policy-information/censorshipclassification/.
