Although the Republic of Ireland does not currently exercise much censorship in practice, the state has wide-ranging laws which allow censorship, and has specific laws covering films, advertisements, newspapers and magazines, as well as terrorism and pornography. In the past, books and anything to do with abortion, sexuality and homosexuality could also be banned. However, there is no legislation to ban or edit music or computer games.

Current Censorship

Film Censorship

In the past, Ireland's Film Censors Office heavily cut films, and also videos for rental release; or placed extremely high age ratings on them. However, since the release of Michael Collins in 1996, which was rated in the now gone 12RA rating for historical reasons, despite its depictions of extreme violence, the censors office has reduced age ratings and ceased cutting movies in general. For example, the controversial 2004 film 9 Songs was released uncut with an 18s certificate. Ratings usually match those of the UK, or are one level higher.

Five ratings categories exist, and are the same for cinema and video/DVD releases, with the exception of 12PG; although a movie may have been re-rated by the time of its video/DVD release.

• G, into which anyone is allowed
• PG, into which anyone is allowed but parental consent is advised, and is down to the discretion of the cinema or video library
• 12PG, into which those over the age of 12 or those with parental consent may enter
  • 12, for video releases only, which only those over the age of 12 may rent or buy.
• 15PG, into which those over the age of 15 or those with parental consent may enter
• 18, into which those over the age of 18 may enter

However, many movies have been banned in Ireland in the past, including Life Of Brian and A Clockwork Orange. A review in 2000 has meant that many of these have since been un-banned and rated anywhere from 12PG to 18. During that review process it was decided that no more films would be banned for either theatre or video release, but some bans, such as that on the theatre release of Natural Born Killers are still in place.

The Film Censors Office's official figures state that 2,500 films received theatrical performance bans, although mainly pre-1965, and over 11,000 films were cut, mainly pre-1985.

Advertisements

Advertisments are regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority, and must be truthful and factually accurate. In addition, adverts for illegal services are not allowed, and publications carrying them may be forcibly removed from circulation for some months.

Newspapers and Magazines

Whilst still theoretically censorable, newspapers and magazines are free to publish anything which does not break Ireland's tough libel laws.

Terrorism

Again, censorship of terrorism related material in the media is no longer enforced, but during the Troubles in Northern Ireland it was used to prevent Sinn Féin from having access to the media. Under Section 31 of the Broadcasting Act, it was forbidden to broadcast the voice of Sinn Féin members. This rule was brought in by Fianna Fáil Minister for Posts & Telegraphs Gerry Collins in 1971 and strengthened by Conor Cruise O'Brien in 1977. The United Kingdom had a similar rule at the same time, although UK broadcasters subverted this censorship by dubbing Sinn Féin speeches and interviews, with an actor's voice repeating the speech word-for-word. Irish broadcasters adhered much more strictly to the rule, and RTÉ refused to dub speeches and even refused to broadcast Sinn Féin members when they were talking about matters completely unrelated to the Northern Troubles. For example, Sinn Féin member Larry O'Toole was not permitted to appear on RTÉ to talk about a trade union dispute he was involved in. The High Court later found that this exclusion was not justified under Section 31.

The Section 31 broadcasting ban was lifted in 1993 by Minister for Arts, Culture & the Gaeltacht Michael D. Higgins as part of the peace process.

Pornography

Hardcore pornography, while legal in Ireland, is not allowed depict any acts which are illegal in the state. This covers any participants being beneath the Irish age of consent, or depictions of buggery or fellatio in which one of the participants is a female. If any of these are in a video, DVD, film, photograph or website, use and possesion of them is illegal.

Censorship of Books

Until the 1970s, it was commonplace for books to be banned for containing violence, sex, cursing, references to birth control, and so on. This has since ceased, and virtually all books banned have been unbanned. However, books such as The Joy of Sex and Ulysses were banned for some time.

Books containing references to terrorism or which could be considered slander under Irish law can still be banned - you will not be punished for owning or importing them, but their sale is prohibited. This covers books such as The Committee: Political Assassination in Northern Ireland, which has even been pulled from Amazon.com due to its content. However, importing this book and its sale second-hand are legal.

Formerly Censored Topics

Abortion and Birth Control

Until the early 1990s, promotion of abortion in any way, including providing impartial information, was disallowed, and any publications providing information on it would be confiscated. Copies of Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan women's magazines sold in the Republic were specially printed with blank pages instead of advertisements for abortion clinics. In the 1980s, the Irish Family Planning Association and the Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin student's unions were successfully sued by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children for publishing telephone numbers for abortion clinics in the United Kingdom.

The Irish Labour Party T.D. Proinsias De Rossa subverted this ban by reading the offending telephone numbers into the Dáil record, using his absolute privilege as a member of the Oireachtas to avoid a lawsuit.

In the wake of the X Case, the fourteenth amendment of the Constitution of Ireland removed this prohibition in November 1992.

Homosexuality

Prior to the forced legalisation of homosexuality in Ireland (due to David Norris, a Senator, prosecuting the state), the media was not allowed promote it in a positive light. This has since been removed, and discriminating against homosexuality is now illegal.

Unusual Oversights

Music

Music videos are exempt from film classification, whereas in the UK, they must be classified. Broadcasters usually use their discretion and obey the UK classifications and showing time restrictions.

Music lyrics are also not censored, and as Irish music stores usually source their stock from Canada and not the UK, singles are often sold with North American Explicit Lyrics labels, and unedited lyrics.

Computer Games

Unlike most other countries, the Film Censors have no right to censor any form of video games. This lead to an unusual situation where in the 1990s, UK owned game sales multiples sold the sanitised versions of Carmageddon, whilst Irish owned stores sold the uncut versions imported from the United States. Games may only be banned if they contain content which could be classed as pornography.

Ireland is a member of PEGI, but places no legal powers on its age recommendations. Retailers may attempt to enforce them at their discretion, but in the case of a protest they must sell the product to the customer.

Censorship Landmarks

In Dublin

In the 1980s and 1990s, an indigenous Irish version of the internationally available TimeOut magazine called In Dublin existed. The magazine was reknowned for its advertisments for Massage Parlours and Bathhouses. When it was finally proven in 1999 that the advertisements were for prostituion services, the magazine was forcibly withdrawn from circulation for six months and ceased to exist.

The trademark has since changed hands and the current InDublin magazine does not advertise the type of institution that could possibly be a brothel.

External link

• Irish Film Censors Office website