Mr. Hugh Boyle:

Deputy Phelan suggested that certain words might trigger closing down of sites, but that can be difficult to implement because it all depends on the context. Sometimes a word might be used in the context of academic research or in another perfectly legitimate context and we do not want to interfere with that type of issue. That is the difficulty. It is all about not interfering unnecessarily with the free exchange of information and ideas. When we receive complaints through the hotline service or when complaints are made generally, there is a procedure to deal with the complaint. We must look at the site before making a request for removal of material. If it is not illegal but merely offensive, we might request the ISP to take it down. If it is illegal, there is a stronger procedure in place and we pursue and investigate it with a view to prosecution if the offence is located in our jurisdiction. If it is not in our jurisdiction, we pass the information on to the equivalent authorities elsewhere for action.