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

Deputy Neville made a very helpful observation earlier, and Mr. Fearghal Burke also mentioned that he is training teachers. It is very clear that if we can make any recommendations as part of our report to the Houses of the Oireachtas on cybersecurity, it would be to improve the educational standard and teachings that have been provided, not just to students but also to teachers. A module within our universities would be very welcome. The Department of Education and Skills could also look seriously at campaigns in schools, co-ordinating with the likes of CyberSafeIreland or Webwise, or whichever is the most relevant and available organisation within a particular area, and by funding that and giving it purpose. Internet Safety Month is terrific and Safer Internet Day was very helpful. I did some radio interviews on the subject yesterday, as did several other Members of the Oireachtas.

With regard to bringing the matter to the attention of people, in the course of these hearings I distributed a booklet on cyber safety to parents and guardians, of which many members would be aware and which they would also have distributed. I shall give an indication of the take-up in respect of the booklet. There are 52 primary and second-level schools in my constituency. I received more than 7,000 requests for the booklet. I had originally only printed 200. The schools could not get enough of them. The most important aspect from my perspective, as Chairman of this committee, was that we were in the middle of these hearings looking at the Office for Internet Safety, about which nobody knows but which does terrific work. Deputy Rabbitte and I have commented on the fact that the office produced four booklets but that only 40,000 copies were printed, which was pretty useless.

Focusing in on what has been the best practice in the experience of the Comhairle na nÓg, with, for example, the Newbridge College online tutorials, what would be the level of take-up in respect of this sort of initiative? If CyberSafeIreland was to put up a web video tutorial on the rights and law regarding cybersecurity for young people and what they are doing with their boyfriends, girlfriends or friends, how do we promote this to a young person? I do not necessarily mean young people the age of the witnesses, perhaps it would be for those who are a little younger at the age of 12 or 13. How might they engage with that type of communication?