Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome that indicative timeline because the concept and issues surrounding a digital safety commissioner have been well ventilated through various Private Members' Bills and motions in this House. There is a high level of understanding within the Oireachtas of the issues at play and the hurdles to implementing such a measure. Fianna Fáil is committed to completing the process of the introduction of such a commissioner as quickly as possible.

It is important to move away from the self-regulation regime, which has fallen well below expectations. It is obvious that it has not been successful in protecting the vulnerable in the sector. As I made clear in a Bill worked on by Fianna Fáil, it is vital that the regulation has the appropriate teeth and that that is apparent. In that context, I know the Minister previously referred to considering the imposition of fines on companies for any breach of the law. I ask him to set out what he has in mind at this early stage in terms of penalties and deterrents for organisations that fail to meet their requirements under the proposed law.

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