Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 20th March, 2015.

The Government, in exercise of the powers conferred on them by section 6 (1) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939 (No. 36 of 1939), hereby order as follows:

1. (1) This Order may be cited as the Censorship of Publications Board and Censorship of Publications Appeal Board (Transfer of Ministerial Functions) Order 2015.

(2) This Order comes into operation on 10th March, 2015.

2. (1) The administration and business in connection with the exercise, performance or execution of any functions transferred by Article 3 are transferred to the Department of Justice and Equality.

(2) References to the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht contained in any Act or any instrument made under such Act and relating to any administration and business transferred by paragraph (1) shall, from the commencement of this Order, be read as references to the Department of Justice and Equality.

3. (1) The functions vested in the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht by or under sections 2 and 3 of the Censorship of Publications Act 1946 (No. 1 of 1946) are transferred to the Minister for Justice and Equality.

(2) References to the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht contained in any Act or instrument made under such Act and relating to any functions transferred by this Article shall, from the commencement of this Order, be read as references to the Minister for Justice and Equality.

4. Where, immediately before the commencement of this Order, any legal proceedings are pending to which the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is a party and the proceedings have reference to functions transferred by this Order to the Minister for Justice and Equality, the name of the Minister for Justice and Equality shall, in so far as the proceedings relate to any function transferred by this Order, be substituted in the proceedings for that of the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht or added in the proceedings, as may be appropriate, and the proceedings shall not abate by reason of such substitution.

5. Anything commenced before the commencement of this Order by or under the authority of the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht may, in so far as it relates to functions transferred by this Order to the Minister for Justice and Equality, be carried on or completed from such commencement by the Minister for Justice and Equality.

6. Every document (including any certificate or licence) granted or made in the performance of a function transferred by this Order shall, if and in so far as it was operative immediately before the commencement of this Order, have effect from such commencement as if it had been granted or made by the Minister for Justice and Equality.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Government,

10 March 2015.

ENDA KENNY,

Taoiseach.