Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I hope we will all be on the one page in dealing with this issue. Everyone in the House should support the Bill. Deputies may have amendments to propose, but this is being done for the right reasons. We all know the issues we are facing.

Before I entered the House, I worked as an e-business information technology business manager.

I think I was at the top of my game in 2007. However, I do not recognise the online world of 2017 from the perspective of the online world of 2007. Everything is available on every medium one can imagine, including Instagram, Snapchat and Kik, and the lack of regulation is frightening.

Given that the law in this area has not been updated since 1951, Members of the Oireachtas must collectively address this matter, as other jurisdictions such as Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom have done. In light of recent events, with which all Deputies will be familiar, the Oireachtas may be at a slight advantage in that we could learn from what other jurisdictions have done in this area and be even more up to date as a consequence.

It will be necessary to establish the role of a digital safety officer or regulator. This issue needs to be fleshed out in detail and the regulator must have substantial powers and ensure citizens' privacy is protected.

We do not delve into the role of online companies enough. These companies have a major responsibility and I am not sure they take this responsibility as seriously as they claim. Many social media companies employ large numbers of people in Ireland and provide fantastic media platforms. However, with billions of users and valuations of billions of euro come responsibilities to work with the various agencies, specifically the Department of Justice and Equality, on the volume and types of complaints they receive. They must be able to provide data on these matters in a format that legislators can use to develop our views and draft legislation that will address issues that arise online, including harassment, the use of revenge porn and other online behaviours. Without such data, we will not be able to address these issues. It is critical, therefore, that they are provided.

I welcome the recommendations of the Law Reform Commission. Everybody has an online presence and we all make our own choices on the media we use to communicate our messages. Members of the public should be protected and feel safe in this online space, just as I should feel safe when I walk from Kildare Street to the NewsTalk offices to do an interview in a few minutes. While Members of the Oireachtas are public figures who are open to criticism, members of the public are entitled to their space and entitled to interact in a fair, civil and social manner. As we know, this is frequently not the case.

The Labour Party, through this legislation, wants to ensure our online engagement, which is part of daily discourse and interaction for everyone and part of the socialisation of young people, continues and is a valuable source for all of us and society in general. At the same time, we want the space about which I spoke to be protected for people to ensure it is enjoyed by everyone in an acceptable manner.

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