Task Force on Safe Participation in Political Life

Membership and terms of reference

Membership

• Ann-Marie O’Sullivan – founder and chief executive, AM O’Sullivan PR
• Caitríona Gleeson – CEO, Women for Election
• Deputy Cathal Berry
• Ciara Phelan – journalist, Irish Examiner [member of the group between 25 May 2023 and 11 April 2024]
• Senator Fiona O’Loughlin
• Senator Frances Black
• Gabrielle McFadden – former Senator
• Deputy Ivana Bacik
• Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill – Minister of State
• Deputy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor
• John-Kingsley Onwumereh – Fingal county councillor
• Senator Lisa Chambers
• Senator Micheál Carrigy
• Nicola Kelly – development worker, Inner City Organisations Network (ICON)
• Nóirín O’Sullivan – (Chair) former Garda Commissioner and United Nations Assistant Secretary General for Safety and Security
• Sinéad McSweeney – formerly Global VP, Public Policy, Twitter
• Deputy Sorca Clarke

Terms of reference

The Task force will:

1. Consider the nature, prevalence and impact of abuse, including on-line abuse, and harassment of those who participate in political life within the Irish context.
2. Consider measures to address the problem of abuse and harassment within political life such as:
   • raising awareness, including through education and training, of the value of political participation and public service and of the detrimental impact of abuse, including on-line abuse, and harassment in deterring political participation across Irish society;
   • public policy, including legislation, to safeguard and support those in political life;
   • the response of social media platforms to address online abuse and harassment;
   • the response of the Houses of the Oireachtas and Political Parties in demonstrating leadership in promoting civil discourse in public life.
3. Consider how to monitor the continuing level of the problem and the effectiveness of measures that are put in place to reduce the problem.

The Task Force shall agree its own operating procedures and shall hear and/or consider such submissions as it thinks fit, either verbal or written, as relate to its remit.

The Houses of the Oireachtas Service will provide administrative, legal and research services to the Task Force.

The Task Force shall make a final report to the Ceann Comhairle and the Cathaoirleach, for transmission to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, not later than 31 December 2023. Any extension of the deadline for submission of the final report shall be approved by the Ceann Comhairle and the Cathaoirleach.

Privacy notice

The Task Force has published a privacy notice detailing how it will collect, process and safeguard personal data. This notice is issued in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.