Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 November 2025
475. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the new measures his Department is proposing to enhance online safety; if these measures will also work to protect all citizens online, including children and vulnerable adults; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65051/25]
View answerAt the outset, it is important to say that significant progress has been made in improving online safety in Ireland. Since the establishment of Coimisiún na Meán in March 2023, we have seen the emergence of Ireland’s online safety framework, with An Coimisiún at its heart. An Coimisiún is Ireland’s Digital Services Coordinator under the Digital Services Act and aa competent authority under the EU Terrorist Content Online Regulation. And in October 2024, under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act, An Coimisiún adopted Ireland’s first online safety code, which has applied in full since July of this year.
Failure to adequately fulfil their obligations under the aforementioned legislation can lead to significant financial sanctions and continued non-compliance can lead to criminal sanctions for senior management under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act.
Nothwithstanding this progress, I continue to work across Government and with all stakeholders to ensure children and young people can be safe from harmful or illegal content online. In particular, I want to progress robust age verification. It is a vital part of the picture in terms of providing real assurance that children are the age they claim to be and to ensure they are not exposed to harmful or illegal content. I am seeking the inclusion of a commitment to this effect in the Government’s updated National Digital Strategy which will be published later this year.
In addressing age verification, we must seek to ensure that there are trustworthy systems in place that are interoperable and respect users’ rights, including data protection rights. To that end, my officials are continuing to work with the Government’s Chief Information Officer and his Office to look at practical technical solutions to age verification as part of the Government's Digital Wallet being developed using MyGovID.
In addition, right across Europe, Member States are examining the question of prohibiting access by children and young people to social media platforms – the so-called “digital age of majority”. Ireland is also considering its position on this matter but I believe that any decision would be better taken by the EU and EU Member States together. However, it must be acknowledged that there are differing views on various aspects, for example, as to whether there should be an age of digital majority at all, if there is one, what age it should be, or whether it should be an outright ban or a ban subject to parental consent.
In this context, the EU Audio Visual Media Services Directive, which is the basis for Ireland's Online Safety Code, will be evaluated over the coming year and further measures are likely to be proposed at European level in the latter half of next year. Ireland will work with all stakeholders to ensure that additional legislative proposals are robust in addressing harms posed to children online. I also plan to make online safety a key theme of Ireland's Presidency of the European Union in 2026.
I will continue to work with all stakeholders, nationally and internationally, to ensure robust safety measures, including robust age verification, are in place to protect children and young people from inappropriate, harmful and illegal online content.
