Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In a submission to the Committee on Justice and Equality this month, Women's Aid again highlighted the absence of specific cyberharassment or cyberstalking legislation. As the Taoiseach knows, various avenues of criminal and civil law can be used to a limited degree, but they fall well short of what is needed to deal with cyberharassment. Women's Aid suggests that a specific all-encompassing law is needed that enables the courts to assess the various types of cyber offences as a pattern as opposed to having different tactics prosecuted under different Acts.

The Opposition has constructively engaged in this broad area of protecting women and children from online harassment and violence. There are a number of Opposition Bills stuck in the legislative process because Ministers have promised legislation that has yet to appear. Sinn Féin introduced legislation to promote and encourage measures to improve digital safety for all persons, with a specific focus on so-called revenge pornography. My colleague, Deputy Ó Laoghaire, has introduced legislation that provides for a stand-alone office of digital safety commissioner with online safety as its key area of work. Critically, the office would be responsive to the ever-changing landscape of digital safety.

The Taoiseach knows that the Opposition benches will work with the Government on legislation where we share common cause. Cybercrime legislation is needed to give effect to the provisions of the 2001 Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime, which is not currently provided for in legislation. This legislation has long been promised by the Government and is much needed. We want legislative solutions in place that protect all from online harassment, violence and crime. When will the Minister for Justice and Equality publish the Government's cybercrime Bill?

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