Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Minister that there are many roles to be fulfilled not just by law enforcement agencies, but also by parents and schools. There is also a crucial issue concerning internet service providers. I commend the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald and the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn. The latter Minister has given a significant commitment to establish a forum to revise pre-1994 Internet anti-bullying regulations. The Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, recently visited London where she witnessed how Scotland Yard have an entire room of computers monitoring what is happening online. She is also in contact with the Latvian Internet service provider concerning Ask.fm.com, which was specifically involved in the recent tragic and harrowing cases.

Unless we have explicit legislative provisions to outlaw the practice of cyberbullying it will continue. Unfortunately, however, I acknowledge that it can never be eliminated or fully outlawed. If it could be done, we would be doing so but we must begin the journey down that road.

Will the Minister indicate when the Law Reform Commission will come back with those specific proposals? I ask him to keep this issue on his Department's agenda and treat it with the urgency it requires.

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