Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 196: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has satisfied himself that the censor of films is fulfilling his responsibilities; and the opportunities which exist for parents to have their concerns listened to regarding the certification of a film (details supplied). [17636/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am satisfied that the film censor is fulfilling his responsibilities. The film censor has in place a range of mechanisms which enable parents and others to express their views on film classification and certification. These include the holding of regular focus group consultations comprising parents, educators, students, psychologists, psychiatrists, other experts and representative organisations such as the National Parents Council; the establishment of a website, www.ifco.ie, which I launched on 3 September 2004 and which provides consumer advice to parents on the content of every film; a major national survey of parents carried out by Lansdowne Market Research and a survey on adolescent attitudes to film classification.

The Deputy may be interested in the results of the survey of parents, in which two out of three parents said they regularly agreed with the film censor's classification. Of the one in three who said they sometimes disagreed with the classifications, a majority felt such classifications were too strict.

On the film "9 Songs", the Deputy should note that there is no ministerial power of direction or overriding authority to vary a decision made by the film censor. I have, however, drawn the censor's attention to the complaints I have received concerning the film and I have done the same with this parliamentary question.