The Government is to scrap censorship laws dating back almost a century, under a plan going to Cabinet on Tuesday.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee will seek Cabinet approval to draft legislation which would repeal the Censorship of Publications Acts, under which thousands of publications have been banned – but which have fallen into near-total disuse in recent decades.
The censorship laws were passed in 1929 following a recommendation made by the “Committee on Evil Literature”, which had been appointed three years earlier, with a Censorship Board established in 1930. Over the course of its lifetime it prohibited over 12,000 publications.
Under the existing laws, books and periodicals that are considered indecent or obscene, or have an unduly large proportion of space devoted to crime, can be censored.
Ms McEntee will tell Cabinet that other statutory provisions are in place that deal with threatening and abusive material, and that repeal of the acts will not impact the prosecutions for child abuse or threatening and abusive material. The censorship board has effectively ceased in the last 20 years with reduced volumes of complaints and appeals, a Government source said.
Also at Cabinet, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan will seek approval for advancing the Adare bypass, which will be delivered in time for the Ryder Cup in September 2027, which is expected to bring huge amounts of traffic to the town. The bypass is an element of the 33km Limerick to Foynes project.
Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris and Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien will seek approval for the extension of the Seanad franchise to all graduates from higher education institutes. A new six “Higher Education” panel will be established replacing the existing NUI and University of Dublin constituencies. It follows a successful Supreme Court challenge to the existing system by UL graduate Tomás Heneghan.
Elsewhere, Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys will bring proposals to Cabinet for a new benefit system which will see tiered welfare payments kick in when people lose their jobs.
Under the proposals, people who lose their job will get up to 60 per cent of their gross income, capped at €450 per week for the first three months, dropping or 55 per cent of prior income for another three months capped at €375 per week, and then half their income subject to a €300 cap for a final three month period.
Workers will have to have at least five years PRSI contributions to qualify for the enhanced payments. She will also bring a memo on the social welfare bill, giving effect to measures on rates and thresholds for benefits in the budget.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin will update the Cabinet ahead of the publication of a plan implementing the report of the commission on the Defence Forces. The plan will set out the detail and timetable for delivering on the recommendations of the commission.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, the Taoiseach will meet with representatives from Arab and Islamic States to discuss the situation in the Middle East. He is meeting with the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation and a group of Arab Ambassadors to Ireland. In a statement before the meeting, Leo Varadkar warned that the situation in Gaza is “deteriorating rapidly”. He will seek support in helping Irish citizens leave Gaza and continued assistance in helping to secure the release of Emily Hand.
