asked the Minister for Justice if it is proposed to reorganise the Censorship of Publications Board and Appeals Board; and, if so, if he will give particulars.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Censorship Boards.
10.
I have no proposals in mind for any reorganisation of the boards.
Is the Censorship Board now in operation again? Is the Appeals Board, or whatever is its proper title, also in operation?
The Censorship Board is in operation. The Appeals Board is not in operation at the moment. I understand the position of chairman has to be filled and there are some technical questions regarding the qualifications of the chairman under the Act. I hope to resolve that matter shortly.
When did the Censorship Board last meet?
I have not got that information. When I say that, I do not know if it has met since it was reconstituted so I might be misleading the Deputy.
Will the Minister appoint a chairman soon?
I hope so.
Is the Minister satisfied that the Censorship Board, as it is presently constituted, is able to deal with the amount of material which it should deal with to keep a lot of undesirable material out of our bookshops?
I am satisfied that the Censorship Board is able to deal with the demands made on it. What is implicit in the Deputy's question is: does the law need to be changed to look at some of the material which is flooding the country? Possibly it is an exaggeration to say "flooding the country". There is a different standard of publication now visible in shops and it is a question of whether the law would have to be changed to deal with this. The law on obscenity and indecency is a most intricate legal area. There has been endless trouble in other areas in trying to devise a formula that will deal with the problem satisfactorily.
I am sure the Minister will agree with me that quantities —I do not know in what proportion— of blue pornographic literature are coming into this country through the mail. I hope the Minister and his colleague the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs will work out some method of combating this new flood of the bluest of pornographic material.
I have not got complaints about pornographic material, as such, coming in any volume through the mail. If the Deputy has any instances I would be glad to hear of them. I think the Post Office Act —I can check this with my colleague —has power to intercept any such material. If there is any serious problem we will certainly look at it as a matter of urgency to ensure that it does not continue.
I thank the Minister for the courtesy of his reply. Recently, I was in a public place and I am ashamed to say a large number of young people were having their kicks, as it were, by looking at the bluest of pornographic material one could imagine. I gathered from them that it came through the post from England.
If the Deputy will give me particulars I will be glad to look at the matter.