Mr. Séamus Dooley:

In my experience of tech companies they do not recognise trade unions, so the notion of engaging with us on safety to make themselves look good is something on which, as usual before the committee, I seem to be the one throwing cold water. One element of the use of social media, particularly in the area of journalism but also in other areas, is that employers and managers have a responsibility. Obviously I am very familiar with the abuse of female journalists. We are speaking about conflict zones but in many respects the social media landscape is a conflict zone for many women in particular. The trouble is that journalists, by definition, require an ego. They require a platform. They enjoy the attention. Increasingly, companies require journalists to have their own social media presence but are not always responsive when the same journalist becomes targeted. There is a real challenge. I recognise the challenge exists. The only way it can be solved is through the tech companies accepting full responsibility. Frequently, the experience has been the tech companies adopting the attitude that they only provide the platform and how people use it is a matter for someone else. This cannot be done by broadcasters or publishers.

It is being addressed in some respects by the online safety commissioner.

I acknowledge the work of the media engagement committee that was established by the assistant Garda commissioner on the initiative of the NUJ, RTÉ and Mediahuis. That has been useful in bringing media operators together to share experiences. That has been interesting. We have had representatives of Irish-based tech companies and we need to remember they are headquartered in Ireland. The engagement to date has not been, to put it politely, enthusiastic, but to get them in the room and start the conversation is an important first step.