Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 July 2021
346. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice if the implementation of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 has made an impact on the issue of online bullying; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35585/21]
View answerThe Deputy may be aware that 'Coco's Law', also referred to as the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act, entered into force on 10 February 2021. Among other provisions, it creates new offences of sending, or threatening to send, intimate images without the consent of the person whose image it is.
The Deputy will appreciate that as the Act is only in force since February, it would be difficult to identify the impact of the legislation in such a short time frame.
Under Dáil standing orders, a post-enactment report reviewing the functioning of the new legislation will be carried out after one year. A Committee Stage amendment was also accepted in the Dáil which requires a review to be carried out within three years of the passing of the legislation (Section 12 of the 2020 Act).
It will be of interest to the Deputy to know that when signing the commencement order for “Coco’s Law” it was announced that an agreement had been reached between my Department, the National Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Centre at DCU and the Department of Education to establish a ‘Research Observatory on Cyberbullying’ focused on providing up-to-date research, advice and resources related to cyberbullying, cyberhate, and online harassment, and the implementation of Coco’s Law. Funding for the Observatory is being provided by the Department of Justice in memory of Nicole (Coco) Fox.
Funding was also announced for Webwise to update their popular ‘Lockers’ programme, which is an important Junior Cycle resource to include information about Coco’s Law and non-consensual sharing of intimate images.
My Department is currently developing a wider awareness campaign on Coco’s Law and the penalties applicable if someone is convicted of sharing intimate images without consent and to draw attention to the harm caused to the victim whose intimate image is shared. We intend to communicate our message in a way that will build on our existing ‘No Excuses’ campaign and its key message of not excusing any form of sexual harassment or sexual violence.
