asked the Minister for Justice if he will state whether he is aware of the ban by the Censorship Board on the report of the British Royal Commission on Population; whether his attention has been drawn to a letter which appeared in the daily Press on October 29th from the secretary of the board; whether he can say if the letter was written at the direction of the board properly summoned and convened; whether in view of the decision of the board to ban the report, the Minister will consider the advisability of replacing the personnel of the existing board.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Banning of Report of Royal Commission.
I am aware that the Censorship Board have made a prohibition order in respect of the publication referred to, and I have seen the letter from the secretary of the board which appeared in the Irish Press on October 29th.
I am not sure what the Deputy has in mind when he refers to the board being "properly summoned and convened", as the Censorship of Publications Act, 1946, does not prescribe any procedure for the summoning or convening of meetings of the board. I have been informed by the chairman of the board that the letter was written with the approval and on the directions of the board.
In regard to the final part of the question I do not propose to take any action. I should like to point out, however, that the board prohibited the report in pursuance of Section 7 of the Censorship of Publications Act, 1946, on the ground that it advocates the unnatural prevention of conception, and to point out also that it is an offence under Section 16 of the Censorship of Publications Act, 1929, to print, publish, sell or distribute a publication which advocates this, whether or not the publication is prohibited by the board.
I assume the Deputy knows that under Section 8 of the 1946 Act, it is open to the author, the editor, the publisher or any five members of the Oireachtas acting jointly, to appeal to the Appeal Board from a prohibition order in respect of any book, and that Section 19 of the Act authorises the Minister to grant permits for the import of prohibited books.
Does the Minister realise that, as a result of the ban, certain professions and organisations have been denied the right to study the report with a view to countering the advocacy of certain practices mentioned in it?
I have not done that because, as I have informed the Deputy, Section 19 of the Act authorises the Minister to grant permits to any person who wants them for the reason which the Deputy suggests. I shall not let them circulate freely but I will give a permit for any legitimate purpose.
Will the Minister say if the report will be available in the Library?
I do not know.