Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 April 2016
466. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the progress which has been made by his Department to date with implementing the recommended findings identified in the report of the Internet content governance advisory group in May 2014, with regard to the findings in chapters three and four of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8405/16]
View answerThe Report of the Internet Content Governance Advisory Group was presented to Government in June 2014.
A number of the recommendations in the report have been implemented or will be implemented having regard to evolving policy at EU level and across Government. These include a number of the Report's recommendations that were administrative or general in nature, and which are being implemented, in some cases as a consequence of general policy improvements (including in particular the advancements made in Relationship and Sexuality Education and in the National Sexual health Strategy).
One of the report’s key objectives is to ensure that safeguards are put in place for children online and it makes 14 recommendations which relate to the transfer of specific functions between Departments.
The recently enacted Children First Legislation is predicated on the clear principle that child protection issues are the responsibility of all Departments in their respective sectors, and that they must be embedded in the policy considerations of all relevant departments.
My Department will continue to work with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the Department of Justice and Equality and other relevant Departments, under the auspices of the Children First Inter-Departmental Group, established by the Minister for Children & Youth Affairs, to determine the most appropriate mechanisms to address the outstanding issues in the Report of the Internet Content Governance Advisory Group.
