Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 May 2022
28. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to put the Digital Services Act on a legislative footing in this jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22465/22]
View answerThe Council and European Parliament reached a political agreement on the proposed Digital Services Act on 23 April 2022. There are still some technical points to be resolved and other work to be done on the text before the Council and Parliament give their final approvals. As things stand, I expect that the Digital Services Act will be adopted into EU law in October or November of this year. If so, it is planned to apply in Ireland from mid 2023 for the very large online platforms and from 1 January 2024 for all other internet service providers that are in scope.
As the Digital Services Act is an EU Regulation, it will have direct effect in Ireland. That said, there may be some provisions that will need national measures in order to be operative here. My Department is assessing the DSA's text with a view to identifying which provisions will need to be effected by national law.
The DSA includes an obligation on the State to designate a competent authority for implementing and enforcing the DSA in Ireland, known as the Digital Services Coordinator. The Government decided on 1 March 2022 that the new Media Commission will be the Digital Services Coordinator. National legislation will be needed to give effect to that designation. My Department is working on preparing that legislation with a view to having the Digital Services Coordinator in place by the time the DSA applies here.
