Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 January 2015
128. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the role his Department is playing in combating online child grooming, cyber bullying and abuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2205/15]
View answerCombatting online child grooming is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality. As part of a wide-ranging package of measures aimed at the reform of Ireland’s criminal law on sexual offences, including online grooming, child abuse, child exploitation and child pornography, Minister Fitzgerald recently published the General Scheme to the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill.
The Office for Internet Safety, an executive office of the Department of Justice and Equality, has previously published guidance related to cyber bullying and filtering technologies for parents.
My Department has actively engaged with the Department of Education and Skills on the dangers associated with bullying, including online activity. The anti-bullying agenda has been a recurring element in my Department’s consultations with young people. Notably, the majority of the 34 Comhairle na nÓg initiatives funded by my Department have identified mental health services, cyber bullying and homophobic bullying as priority issues for young people. This has led a number of targeted measures being adopted by service providers across the country.
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, produced a Child Protection and Welfare Practice Handbook, intended for social workers and other professionals who refer child welfare and protection cases. The Handbook contains advice in respect of online safety and online child sexual abuse in order to heighten awareness of same.
It is my view that each Government Department is responsible for how child protection obligations should be met in its own sector, reflecting the Government’s position that best safeguarding practice should become a cultural norm. My Department is represented on an Implementation Team formed in response to the 2014 report of the Internet Content Governance Advisory Group, commissioned by the previous Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The Implementation Team is considering the report's recommendations and how best to address them.
I would encourage any individual who has concerns about activities that may constitute grooming, to make contact directly with An Garda Síochána.
