Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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567. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of members on the Censorship of Publications Board in each of the years from 2020 to 2024 and to date in 2025; and the cost of the board per annum in those years. [15479/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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My Department’s records indicate that the Censorship of Publications Board held one meeting in January 2020, which was attended by all 4 members, and has not met since. Members did not receive any fees for their attendance, but were entitled to claim travel and subsistence payments, with a total of €179.09 paid. Administratively, secretariat support for the Censorship of Publications Board was provided through the Irish Film Classification Office with no additional costs arising beyond those already incurred by the Office.

The terms of appointment of the last members of the Censorship of Publications Board lapsed on 9 November, 2021. As a result, the Board has had no members in the years between 2022 and 2025 inclusive.

The process of appointing new members to that Board was put on hold pending the outcome of an examination by my Department on the need to retain censorship provisions in respect of printed publications. This examination underpinned the Government Decision of 21 November, 2023 to proceed with repeal of the Censorship of Publication Acts, 1929 to 1967, the Acts which provided the statutory basis for the Censorship of Publications Board.