Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Bacik for her good wishes. I look forward to working constructively with her in this House. I really appreciate her raising this issue. I will watch the RTÉ documentary very closely this evening because I share the views and concerns that she has echoed and that the Tánaiste echoed at the weekend on the impact of social media on the mental health and well-being of our young people. We now have Coimisiún na Meán established and we have regulations and laws from Europe on digital media. We also have CyberSafeKids, with which the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and the Ministers, Deputies Donnelly and Foley, have engaged. I will ask all relevant Ministers to bring forward an up-to-date position on what more we can do in this space. The Tánaiste's message at the weekend is one I support and, I hope, one we can all support. The companies need to get real on this and get on top of it. If they do not, we need to be ready to act. I have not seen the programme tonight - none of us have - but what I have read about it is deeply harrowing. We will need a response, and I will be back to this House with one.

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