Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to put a couple of questions to the delegates. Their opening statements were clear and concise. I appreciate their taking the time to come and give the committee a broad overview and a good grasp of some of the issues involved. I have a couple of observations to make on the points made by Dr. Shannon about terms of service and self-regulation, particularly in social media companies. While the experience of some social media outlets is positive, with the exception of the knock-on effect, to which Senator Catherine Noone referred and which is a difficult issue to grasp, if one looks at some of the other sites, it is very clear that the terms of service are not applied uniformly. I have experienced it personally.

I have experienced it through constituents, colleagues in both Houses of the Oireachtas and while socialising. People have been subjected to horrendous tirades of abuse. This applies to adults as well as to children. The cases that have been brought to my attention have mostly involved adults. I will not name any particular provider, but I am sure everyone present can guess. There is no uniform application of the terms of usage. Dr. Shannon referenced this issue and asked whether it was necessary to introduce a single entity with control or oversight of the whole sector. Perhaps not uniquely in this jurisdiction we have multiple Departments with multiple oars involved and no single entity is running the show. From my reading of the documentation and the general air since I became Chairman in July, it is troubling that despite all of the very positive work done by the last Dáil and Seanad on the issue of child protection, including the Children First Act 2015 and the children's rights referendum, there is still no singular entity in place.

Dr. Shannon referenced the establishment of an office of the cyber or online safety commissioner. Such a commissioner would be afforded the opportunity to have overarching responsibility for the various Departments in dealing with the issues of cyberbullying and child protection.

The delegates may have comments to make on my observations.