Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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503. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the current size of the board of the Irish Film Classification office; the current number of vacant positions; the number of vacancies that have arisen since March 2011; if these positions were publically advertised; the details and qualifications of those who have filled the vacancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25075/13]

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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504. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the current size of the board of the Classification of Film Appeals Board; the current number of vacant positions; the number of vacancies that have arisen since March 2011; if these positions were publically advertised; the details and qualifications of those who have filled the vacancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25076/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 503 and 504 together.

The Irish Film Classification Office does not have a Board. The Head of the Office is the Director of Film Classification. The post of Director of Film Classification is a statutory one, provided for under Section 2 of the Censorship of Films Act 1923, as amended by the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008.

In accordance with Section 3 of the Censorship of Films Act 1923, as amended, the Classification of Films Appeal Board has nine members. The term of office of the Classification of Films Appeal Board expired on 21 April 2013 so there are currently nine vacancies on the Board. These positions were publicly advertised on 1 March 2013 on both my Department's website and on the website of the Public Appointments Service. The closing date for receipt of expressions of interest in those positions was 22 March 2013. I expect to be in a position to announce appointments to the Classification of Films Appeal Board in the near future.

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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505. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will outline, in tabular form, the number of films appealed to the Classification of Film Appeals Board per annum from 2000 to 2012; the number of appeals upheld per annum from 2000 to 2012; the number of appeals denied from 2000 to 2012; the total fees charged per annum for appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25077/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the Table hereunder. I should note that from 1 January 2000 to 31 March 2004, the prescribed fee for an appeal was IR£5 per appeal (or its subsequent euro equivalent), which was to be refunded if the appeal was successful. In accordance with the Video Recordings Act 1989 (Fees) Regulations 2004 (S.I. No. 113 of 2004), from 1 April 2004 the prescribed fee for an appeal has been €1,000, which is also refundable if the appeal is successful. Accordingly the total fee income in respect of appeals set out in the Table below is the fee income in respect of those appeals which were denied in each year.

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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506. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of assistant classifiers in the Irish Film Classification Office in 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2013; the number of vacancies; his plans for the positions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25078/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Assistant Classifiers in the Irish Film Classification Office are appointed in accordance with Section 2(1)(a) of the Censorship of Films (Amendment) Act 1992. Their principal function is to assist the Director of Film Classification in the performance of his or her functions. Following the death of one serving person in late April 2013, there are currently six persons who serve as Assistant Classifiers in the Irish Film Classification Office. The equivalent numbers of persons serving as Assistant Classifiers (previously known as Assistant Censors) in the years in question are set out in the Table below. It is planned to advertise later this year for expressions of interest from qualified persons to potentially serve as Assistant Classifiers in the future.

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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507. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will outline in tabular form the number of films classified by the Irish Film Classification Office per annum from 2000 to 2012; the rank of classification per annum from 2000 to 2012; the number of films banned by the IFCO per annum from 2000 to 2012; the total fees charged per annum for classification from 2000 to 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25079/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the Tables below. It might be noted that the 16 certificate was introduced by the then Film Censor in 2004, which is the reason for the extra classification category from 2004 onwards.

Table 1: Films classified by the Irish Film Classification Office, 2000 - 2012, by rank of classification.

Table 2: No. of Films Banned by IFCO, 2000 to 2012.

Table 3: Fees Charged by IFCO for Classification of Films, 2000 to 2012.

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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508. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will outline in tabular form the number of videos/DVDs classified by the Irish Film Classification Office per annum from 2000 to 2012; the rank of classification; the number of videos/DVDs banned by the IFCO; the total fees charged per annum for classification from 2000 to 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25080/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the Tables below.

Table 1: Videos/DVDs classified by the Irish Film Classification Office, 2000 - 2012, by rank of classification.

Table 2: No. of Videos/DVDs Banned or Prohibited, 2000 to 2012.

Table 3: Fees Charged by IFCO for Classification of Videos and DVDs, 2000 to 2012.