Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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155. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide in tabular form the number of publications referred to the Censorship of Publications Board per annum since 2000; the number of publications prohibited per annum since 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30893/13]

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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156. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of members on the board of the Censorship of Publications Board in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; and the total costs of the board per annum in those years. [30894/13]

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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157. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of members on the board of the Censorship of Publications Appeals Board in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; and the total costs of the board per annum in those years. [30895/13]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 155 to 157, inclusive, together.

The Deputy may wish to note that by way of the Censorship of Publications Board and Censorship of Publications Appeal Board (Transfer of Ministerial Functions) Order 2013, the Government has transferred the functions of the Minister for Justice and Equality, in relation to the Censorship of Publications Board and the Censorship of Publications Appeal Board, to the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

The number of books and periodical publications referred to the Censorship of Publications Board, in accordance with the provisions of the Censorship of Publications Act 1946, in each year since 2000, including the number of such publications prohibited in each of those years, is set out in the Table below.

Section 2 of the Censorship of Publications Act 1946 provides that the Censorship of Publications Board shall have five members (inclusive of the Chairman). The five year term of office of the last Board expired on 9 November 2011. The new Board has not yet been appointed. Accordingly, the Board had five members during 2010 and 2011. Members of the Board do not receive any remuneration and there were no travel and subsistence expenses paid to Board members in 2010 and 2011.

Section 3 of the Censorship of Publications Act 1946 provides that the Censorship of Publications Appeal Board shall have five members (inclusive of the Chairman). The three year term of office of the last Appeal Board expired on 11 February 2012. The new Board has not yet been appointed. Accordingly, the Appeal Board had five members during 2010, 2011 and 2012 (i.e. until 11 February 2012). Members of the Appeal Board do not receive any remuneration and there were no travel and subsistence expenses paid to Appeal Board members in 2010, 2011 or 2012.

Table: Number of Books and Periodical Publications Referred to the Censorship of Publications Board in the years 2000 to 2013