Gardaí set to brief ministers and Taoiseach on online safety

Simon Harris is set to chair an Online Safety Summit in Government Buildings on Thursday

Gardaí and regulators will brief Taoiseach Simon Harris and senior Government ministers on online safety.

The Taoiseach will chair an Online Safety Summit in Government Buildings on Thursday.

Sources stated that the purpose of the online summit is to ensure a “collective focus across Government on effective implementation of the new Online Safety Framework”.

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The frameworks are due to come into effect from next month.

The Taoiseach and Ministers will be briefed by the Regulators, as well as An Garda Síochána, on progress to date, implementation plans in the period ahead, challenges they face, and how the Government can support their work in Ireland and at EU level.

Regulators in attendance will include Coimisiún na Meán, the Data Protection Commission, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), ComReg and An Comisiún Toghcháin (The Electoral Commission”.

Mr Harris said that this is “an important juncture in terms of regulating the digital world”.

“We have an opportunity now to make a difference and ensure we get this right, in particular, for more vulnerable users such as children and young people,” he argued.

"I want to make sure that there’s a very clear legal understanding in Ireland and across the European Union that the online world does not operate in some sort of parallel universe.

“The obligations that apply offline in terms of abiding by the laws of the land also need to apply online.

“With the upcoming new Online Safety Code and the Digital Services Act, we have significant tools at our disposal. We must now make sure we are using these effectively.

“We are committed to discharging our regulatory obligations in a consistent, coherent and timely manner to deliver appropriate protections for individuals and society, and to provide certainty for industry.

“I look forward to hearing from the Regulators on their plans for continued implementation and enforcement of these important and ground-breaking regulations.”

The Taoiseach also plans to meet with wider stakeholders including representing the views of users of online digital services, including children and vulnerable groups.

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