asked the Minister for Justice, in view of the cost of administration which amounted to £24,000 and the small number of books examined being only 33, if he proposes to abolish the Censorship of Publications Board, or increase its work load.
Written Answers. - Censorship of Publications Board.
624.
Limerick East): The reference in the question to a figure of £24,000 is presumably based on the 1984 Estimates which show a figure of £24,681 for pay and allowances. That was intended to cover three people. In fact three people were not employed in the office at any time during the year and since June last only one person has been employed there. From June onwards, the true figure for pay and allowances has been less than £12,000 per annum. The board is a statutory body which operates under the Censorship of Publications Act, 1929 to 1967. If there is any Government proposal to amend those Acts, the decision will be announced in the ordinary course. I would, however, make the point that a central argument in favour of the board's existence is that it acts as a deterrent against the sale of pornographic material and the force of that particular argument is not affected by the number of publications examined or of prohibition orders made by the board in a particular period.