Mary Moran (Labour)

I welcome the Minister. I congratulate the Independent Senators, led by Senator Jillian van Turnout, for tabling what is an excellent motion. I also thank them for organising the wonderful briefing session in the AV room last week. Like some of my colleagues, I, too, was unaware of the scale of the problem. As a mother of young children and one who has been involved in the education of young children, I was shocked. I agree with the amendment and commend the Minister for his commitment to consider the blocking solution in the development of the planned sexual offences Bill. As he said, everyone has the wellbeing and the rights of children at heart. We all realise its importance and are united in our commitment to ensure the protection not only of our children but also children across the globe.

Technology such as the Internet, although very valuable, can put children at risk of exploitation and harm. The Internet gives those interested in abusing or exploiting children a new medium to network, share information and explore new identities. Its use has national and international implications which makes the monitoring of exploitative practices all the more difficult. However, it is encouraging to know, as the Minister pointed out, that the Garda Síochána thoroughly investigates suspected offences involving the sexual abuse of children through the Internet or other technologies. We are speaking not only about the distribution of abusive images of children online but also the grooming of children through the use of teen chat rooms, bulletin boards and online communities in which the abuser befriends the child to gain his or her trust. It can also involve prostituting a child. For the children who have been subjected to online abuse, there is a sense of powerlessness, as the digital imagery can remain on the Internet indefinitely. This can have an effect on recovery and treatment, as the child who has been abused in this way is defiled forever.

There is an ongoing international debate about how effective blocking systems are, as new technologies are constantly coming on stream such as peer-to-peer file sharing which can bypass blocking systems. However, blocking will prevent the accidental viewing of web pages containing abusive material by persons who do not intend to access such material. Last year, when I was teaching, a pupil reported to me that she had inadvertently put the name of her favourite pop star into a search engine on the Internet and that vile images had appeared. She was shocked and reported the matter to me. Out of curiosity, there is a temptation to view such images again, which can lead to a fascination for illicit material.

Many European countries, including the United Kingdom, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Italy, have voluntarily blocked content. It is hard to determine the number of children affected by exploitative practices through the Internet as they may not report the abuse out of fear or shame, something of which we are all aware. Given the large-scale Internet usage among children and young people, their potential exposure to exploitation is heightened. Parents can feel inadequate in monitoring their children's Internet usage, as they may have fewer computer skills than their children. Many parents would most likely be shocked by the content on their children's friends' Facebook or Twitter pages if they knew how to access them. As a parent of five teenagers, I am acutely aware of these issues and the problem of monitoring children's Internet usage. We need to ensure we have the best possible controls in protecting our children.

It is clear from the debate that no one action will combat child abuse on the Internet. This is all the more reason all stakeholders need to adopt a multifaceted approach, not only at national level but also at European level and worldwide.