Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 April 2026
555. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the status of the Bill to repeal the Censorship of Publications Acts; the reasons for the delays after Government approved the drafting of the Heads of a Bill in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28502/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs I set out in reply to parliamentary question number 376 of 5 March last from the Deputy on this matter, in November 2023, Government approved the repeal of the Censorship of Publications Acts. This Decision followed an examination in the Department of Justice of 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. It is a commitment in my Department’s current Statement of Strategy to complete the successive legislative steps to repeal the Censorship of Publications Acts and related SIs and my Department will advance these steps in due course.
