Press release
Minister for Justice Simon Harris appoints Dr. Ciarán Kissane as Director of Film Classification in the Irish Film Classification Office
Published on
Last updated on
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Justice Simon Harris has today announced the appointment of Dr. Ciarán Kissane as the new Director of Film Classification in the Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO).
Dr. Kissane’s appointment follows an open competition run by the Public Appointments Service.
Announcing the appointment Minister Harris said:
"I am delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Ciarán Kissane, who will bring a wealth of professional experience to this important role.
"The important work undertaken by the IFCO ensures that the public, and parents in particular, have a modern and dependable system of classification to enable them to make informed viewing choices for themselves and importantly for those minors for whom they are responsible."
Speaking about his new role, Dr. Kissane said:
"I am delighted to be appointed as Director of Film Classification in the Irish Film Classification Office in its centenary year. I look forward to continuing the long standing and important work of the IFCO over the next 5 years."
The Irish Film Classification Office was established in 1923 by the Censorship of Films Act 1923. The IFCO’s role was further expanded under the Video Recordings Act 1989. The IFCO is one of the oldest agencies in the State; however it has embraced change, transparency and modernisation in recent years and will continue to evolve with Irish society.
In 2022, the IFCO received 979 cinema submissions for classification (consisting of 438 films, 8 short films and 533 trailers) and 1532 video/DVD submissions, including 20 video games rated as 18 by the Pan-European Game Information system (PEGI).
The Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO) (formerly known as the Film Censor's Office) is a statutory body established under the aegis of the Department of Justice. It was established on a statutory basis pursuant to the Censorship of Films Act 1923. Its role was expanded by the various Censorship of Films Acts and the Video Recordings Act, 1989.
The name of the office was changed to the Irish Film Classification Office in 2008 to reflect the changing role of the office from censorship to age classification. This change clearly reflects the evolution in societal views and expectations of this service over time.
The IFCO’s current role is that of a consumer advice agency. Its decisions are still legally binding and all powers of prohibition remain.
The decisions of the IFCO are independent and may only be appealed to the Classification of Films Appeal Board, also an independent entity.
A native of County Laois, Dr Ciarán Kissane has worked in media regulation for almost 30 years and has extensive experience in content classification, strategic planning and organisational development.
In his career to date Ciarán has led projects in licensing, compliance, funding schemes, research and media development. He is recognised as an authorative voice nationally and at EU level on media policy and the fight against disinformation.
An accredited Coach (ICF) and Mediator (MII), Ciarán is also an active scuba diving instructor and has served as President of Diving Ireland, the national governing body for underwater sports.