EU Regulations

Tuesday, 9 December 2025

Ceisteanna (354, 355, 356, 357)

Mattie McGrath

Ceist:

354. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to set out, in respect of Coimisiún na Meán in its role as Digital Services Coordinator under Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 (the Digital Services Act), the total number of formal orders issued since 17 February 2024 to providers of intermediary services requiring the removal or disabling of access to specific content, and the downranking, limitation of visibility or other forms of algorithmic suppression of content; the Member State of establishment or other country of origin of each provider concerned; the legal basis and nature of the alleged infringement in each case; if, and on what date, each order was implemented in full or in part by the provider; and the number of such orders which were issued following a request from another Digital Services Coordinator or the European Commission, and have been communicated to other Digital Services Coordinators or the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69009/25]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Mattie McGrath

Ceist:

355. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to state whether Coimisiún na Meán, in its capacity as Digital Services Coordinator under Regulation (EU) 2022/2065, has issued any orders, binding instructions, formal notices, or informal requests to intermediary service providers established in the State which resulted in the removal, restriction, downranking, or other limitation of access to content originating in the United States; to provide details of the number of such cases, the type of measure applied, the legal basis invoked, and whether the relevant action was initiated by Coimisiún na Meán, by another Member State's Digital Services Coordinator, or by the European Commission; and to outline whether any such measures were communicated to, or coordinated with U.S. authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69010/25]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Mattie McGrath

Ceist:

356. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if Coimisiún na Meán, in its role as Digital Services Coordinator under Regulation (EU) 2022/2065, received or acted upon any requests, alerts, or cooperation mechanisms from other Digital Services Coordinators or the European Commission in connection with the recent elections in Romania, the Czech Republic, or the Netherlands; the number and nature of any measures taken by Coimisiún na Meán or by service providers established in the State under the Digital Services Act in relation to election-related content, including takedown orders, visibility-limitation measures, or systemic risk mitigation actions; to indicate whether any such measures affected cross-border content flows or accounts accessible in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69011/25]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Mattie McGrath

Ceist:

357. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the current applicants for the trusted flagger system, and those already with the designation; to set out the steps Coimisiún na Meán takes to assess the funding sources, foreign ties, advocacy positions, or potential conflicts of interest of organisations applying for trusted flagger status; if any applicants have been rejected, suspended, or reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69012/25]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment

I propose to take Questions Nos. 354, 355, 356 and 357 together.

Under Section 10 of the Broadcasting and Other Media Regulation Acts 2009 and 2022, Coimisiún na Meán is established as an independent regulator. This statutory independence ensures that decisions relating to enforcement, compliance, and operational matters are taken without Ministerial direction or influence. This separation of powers is essential to maintain the integrity of the regulatory framework and to uphold Ireland’s obligations under EU law.

Article 50 of Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 (the Digital Services Act) explicitly requires that national Digital Services Coordinators, such as Coimisiún na Meán, act with complete independence and remain free from any external influence when carrying out their tasks and exercising their powers. This provision reflects a core principle of EU law, that regulatory authorities must operate autonomously to guarantee impartiality, legal certainty, and the effective application of the Regulation across Member States.

The questions raised, covering the issuance of orders to service providers, cooperation with other authorities, actions on election-related content, and the designation of trusted flaggers, fall squarely within the operational remit of An Coimisiún. These functions involve regulatory judgment and enforcement under the Digital Services Act, which are matters for the independent regulator.

Under Article 55 of the Digital Services Act, Coimisiún na Meán is required to publish an annual activity report detailing its activities under the Regulation. This report is publicly available and those seeking further information on these operational matters may consult the most recent report at: www.cnam.ie/app/uploads/2025/04/20250319_Art-55-DSA-report_VFinal.pdf.