Ms Stephanie Comey:

I thank the Deputy for the question. I will start by briefly outlining what Media Literacy Ireland is. It is an informal alliance of volunteers who are working to deliver media literacy on the ground and to consider what strategic imperatives need to be met for media literacy in Ireland. It was established in 2017. It had 34 members then; it has over 300 now. Those members come from a vast range of sectors that includes broadcasting, the press, journalism, education, civil society and online platforms. It is very much a multi-stakeholder network. Dr. Eileen Culloty, who is the co-chair, was before the committee recently. She works with me and a co-ordinator on the steering group of Media Literacy Ireland.

The Be Media Smart campaign is the flagship initiative of Media Literacy Ireland. It is not just a public awareness campaign but goes much deeper. I do not have numbers for the committee because we are finalising the report but I would be very happy to share the information with the committee. We have worked on the ground with libraries over all over Ireland. We have worked with every single local and community radio station in Ireland. Those are very deeply trusted sources of media. They have reached out and provided editorial content and support. They have materials on their websites. We know the campaign has reached a high number of people. That is one measure. We also know because we have research to back it up that there has been a behavioural change in individuals and things they would have let pass or that they would complained about but not acted upon in the past are now being acted upon. Media literacy is a lifelong learning journey. It takes time and is not an issue that can be solved. However, I say with some confidence that the multistakeholder approach adopted by Ireland is working and delivering. It has been touted in the European Union and beyond as a strong model for co-operation on the ground. We believe this can work. It needs resources and time. Libraries are key partners because they are sources of knowledge and outreach on the ground. We will continue the work on that basis.