Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Murnane O'Connor. Our law was passed this time last year. Coimisiún na Meán was established under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act. This legislation was welcomed by a range of organisations, including the ISPCC and the Children's Rights Alliance, which see it as the possible window to a safer online world for children and young people in this country. It will take time to resource Coimisiún na Meán and appoint the online safety commissioner and the other safety commissioners. The digital service co-ordinator for the DSA is also placed in Coimisiún na Meán.

I see hope now. We have all of this in place. The era of self-regulation is coming to an end, thankfully, and I say this as a parent like Deputy Murnane O'Connor. Coimisiún na Meán will have a range of enforcement powers, including powers of audit to require the provision of information and periodic reporting requirements. If a service is suspected to be non-compliant with the online safety codes, an coimisiún can appoint authorised officers to investigate this. On receipt of a report from an authorised officer an coimisiún may, if a service is non-compliant, decide on a financial sanction of up to €20 million or 10% of turnover. There are real enforcement powers. There are real teeth with this. We are coming to the end of self-regulation.

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