Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 May 2017
179. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to establish a high-level interdepartmental group tasked with ensuring that the rights of children online are balanced and protected. [20324/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe establishment of a standing Inter-Departmental Committee to cover all aspects of Internet Governance was a recommendation of the Internet Content Governance Advisory Group's Report, published in 2014. In order to oversee the implementation of the various recommendations in the Report, an interdepartmental implementation group was established under the chairmanship of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and work is ongoing in this regard. The group includes representatives from the Departments of Children and Youth Affairs, Education and Skills and Health and my own Department.
In seeking to further the goal of increasing the protection of children online, the Government gave its approval in December 2016 for the drafting of a General Scheme of a Bill which will provide for new and amended criminal offences along the lines set out in the September 2016 Law Reform Commission Report on Harmful Communications and Digital Safety. The Commission has proposed extending some existing offences and creating some new criminal offences. The Heads of a Bill are currently being prepared by my Department.
