Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. In my original contribution, I acknowledged the work being done by the Government and accepted that this is an issue of public health and education. I also said it is a time-sensitive issue because lives are being lost. We cannot afford to wait for advisory groups to come back and report on this, that and the other, especially when we are talking about people's lives. If the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997, which was mentioned by the Minister of State, was fit for purpose and was keeping pace with advances in technology, there would have been no need to refer it to the Law Reform Commission. The decision to refer the Act to the commission is an acknowledgement that there is a deficiency and a weakness in it. If the existing legislation is so strong, why are so few criminal prosecutions being brought in respect of cyberbullying, which is now at an epidemic stage? That is just a point I want to make. Education and resources are of great importance in this regard. If we introduce stand-alone legislation that clearly outlines the consequences of this venal and horrendous crime for perpetrators - parents who do not monitor their children must also accept an element of responsibility in this regard - it will act as a clear deterrent for those who might otherwise engage in it. As a result of cyberbullying, some children will be psychologically damaged for a long period. Even worse, some teenagers and young children have taken their own lives on foot of this behaviour. I would like the Minister of State to ask the Minister to consider introducing stand-alone legislation which would act as a clear deterrent by pointing out the clear consequences for those who engage in this awful crime.

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