Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am grateful to the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter. I am disappointed the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources could not be present but I understand. I thank the Minister of State for attending in his absence.

This is one of the most important Topical Issue matters that I will table during the lifetime of this Government. I recently had a meeting with students from Lucan Community College in my constituency and I am happy that two of them, Orla Kenny and Katie Farrell, are present. I was challenged by them to examine, research and study the Neknomination phenomenon. As I said to them at the time, it was one of the most disturbing experiences of my life. I have never seen a four or five minute film that was so disturbing and I had difficulty containing myself in the seat while I watched it. When it concluded, they said: "Derek, this is not the worst by any means."

There is significant peer pressure on young people today. Neknomination is a Facebook game. It is a dangerous practice that has led to deaths, sickness, injury and increased psychological problems over the past few weeks. Friends contact each other through social media to make a dare and some of those who do not respond to the dare stand to lose their friends. The vast majority of young people in second and third level have many hundreds of contacts on their smartphones and tablets and there is continuous communication. Adults often communicate with each other through social networks from time to time but I have come to realise young people communicate continuously through them. It is a way of life for many people, particularly young people, and it helps to form relationships and communications.

The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources is on record saying it would be helpful if Facebook agreed to take the Neknomination page down.

I am calling for much more than that. I am requesting an intervention from the very top in order to deal with this new and dangerous practice. We have laws and regulations which are in the interests of people from different walks of life and which reflect the common good. I refer here to the laws relating to roads, licensed premises, etc. There is a need for social media to be regulated as a matter of urgency.

I welcome the fact that the Internet content governance advisory body is prepared to examine this dangerous phenomenon, which, as a result of online bullying, the issuing of crazy challenges, increased binge drinking and the performance of some of the most dangerous acts one could possibly imagine, is affecting the lives of many young people. I welcome the Union of Students in Ireland's campaign against this dangerous drinking game. I reject what Facebook has said to the effect that "controversial or offensive behaviour is not necessarily against our rules". I have serious issue with anybody who adopts such an irresponsible position. Parents, teachers, students unions and those who play leading roles in our society all have a major part to play in stopping this practice by encouraging young people and detagging and unblocking their dares.

An eminent judge recently warned that if the current internet drinking contest takes hold, there will be a tsunami of prosecutions before his court. I am of the view that the Neknomination phenomenon is one of the greatest threats to young people in modern times. I welcome the fact that some students have responded to it by launching their own campaign, RAKnomination, which involve people performing random acts of kindness. However, I am of the view that those involved have a challenge on their hands. This House must send out a message to the effect that it is prepared to provide leadership and respond to any threat or risk to members of society. Facebook must be regulated as a matter of urgency. It is not only the latter which has facilitated Neknomination challenges and we must beware of that fact. The two students I met last week informed me that other social media options and opportunities are becoming available all the time.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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There can be no doubt but that the pervasive use of social media has challenged a wide number of previously accepted norms, both in the context of media governance and in more general societal terms. These issues are far from simple. In fact, they are quite complex. The nature of the sector is such that a formal regulatory system similar to that for broadcast media would be impossible to create. Moreover, the evolution of social media and online media in general has proven to have radical and important positive characteristics. Social media are categorically not a bad thing, rather they enrich the lives of millions of people every day. That is not to say, however, that all of the uses to which social media are put are positive .

Substantial work has already been completed in this area in the past 15 to 20 years and European Union Safer Internet Day is an example of what has already been achieved. On Monday, at this year's Safer Internet Day event, my colleague and Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, reiterated the Department's and Government's commitment to safer Internet use, including the responsible use of social media. To this end, the Department has funded the Up2Us anti-bullying kit as a practical resource for dealing with the issue of cyberbullying.

It is clear that time has come to take stock of Government responses to some of the questions posed by online media use. In that context, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, has asked the Internet content governance advisory group, formed in December, to evaluate the full range of content issues that now arise online. This group will report in May and the Government will consider its report in great detail. A public consultation process is now open and submissions from all interested parties are welcome before the closing date of the 18 March. I am aware also that group expect to meet with all key stakeholders in the coming weeks as part of its work.

While there has been significant media commentary around the way the phenomenon referenced by the Deputy has been propagated, the key issue here is our underlying attitude towards alcohol in this country. The Government has been very clear about its commitment to deal with the pattern of alcohol misuse in society and the widespread harm this causes. The issues involved are multifaceted and a co-ordinated response is in place across a number of Departments. Last October the Government approved an extensive package of measures to deal with alcohol misuse based on the steering group report on a national substance misuse strategy, which was published by the Department of Health in February 2012. These measures are being delivered and include a minimum price for alcohol and a number of new restrictions on how alcohol is advertised, particularly in the context of how it is advertised to children and young people.

The issues that arise in respect of this matter are complex and delicate. A balance must be struck between preserving freedom of speech and freedom of expression online, and protecting children and young people in particular from content that may well be age inappropriate or harmful. As already stated, social media and online content in general are not subject to the same types of editorial restrictions as broadcast media, for example, and questions as to the most appropriate governance model are being asked by governments and civil society groups across the globe. There are no simple answers to these questions but I am confident that the group established by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, will evaluate all of these issues thoroughly and in detail.

Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I am aware of a number of the matters to which he refers. I am aware, for example, of the many positive opportunities to which the Internet gives rise in the context of education and communication and in facilitating people in enhancing relationships through social media. However, I want to focus on the dangers involved. I welcome the establishment of the group to which the Minister of State referred. I also welcome the fact that it is going to report in May. However, I am concerned with regard to the fact that an emergency exists in respect of this matter and I am of the view that an emergency intervention is required. Will the Minister of State comment on that matter?

I accept that there are huge levels of peer pressure involved and the Minister referred to the misuse of alcohol. We all have a responsibility in this regard. The phenomenon under discussion can lead to cyberbullying and the online shaming of people who to not take part. The two students whom I met last week informed me that many other social media and networking options and opportunities are coming down the line. We must be prepared to deal with these also. Yesterday I wrote to the principals of each of the second level schools in my constituency and asked them to provide advice on the best way to respond to the current phenomenon before more deaths or injuries occur or more damage is done. As stated earlier, Facebook and other social networking sites must be regulated. Despite the fact that the Internet content governance advisory group has been put in place and will report in May, I am concerned that - as is often the case - the process will take too long. People are dying and we must respond.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I agree with the Deputy that some very tragic incidents have been associated with the Neknomination phenomenon in recent weeks, not only in Ireland but across the globe. He suggested that we somehow shut down all social media communication which is in any way connected with these tragic occurrences. It would be impossible to achieve this, either now or at any time in the future. If we decided to try to convince Facebook to remove all references to Neknomination from its website, what would be the outcome? The Deputy referred to the many other social media opportunities that are becoming available on a daily basis and there is no reason why young people - in view of their talent and creativity - would not develop their own social media platforms in order that they might engage in what some regard as quite juvenile behaviour. One would certainly not advise one's sons or daughters to become involved in such behaviour. The Deputy must realise that it would be impossible to regulate or shut down communication on the type of sites to which we are referring here. That is the way the Internet works and that is the way it will always work.

Deputy Keating referred to peer pressure. What he said is correct. Peer pressure occurs everywhere, not just on social media sites.

It happens in our schools and in school yards, streets and pubs but there is no suggestion that we need to regulate that interaction between young people and those settings. It is undesirable in those settings and it is undesirable in social media. What we need to do is to educate and empower our young people to use social media and all other forms of communication sensibly and not to engage in activity that compromises the safety of their friends and their peers. The long and perhaps difficult process in which we have always been engaged and in which we will continue to engage is to educate young people on how best to interact with and support one another.

Deputy Keating referred to the nominations for random acts of kindness. I saw an excellent example of it on Facebook where a young person in my constituency had put up a RAK nomination, a random act of kindness. I am more than confident that young people themselves are well capable of highlighting the general challenges around these nonsensical Neknomination activities and how they are subjecting their peers to these very challenging situations. They are well capable of responding and showing the very positive force that social media can be to do positive things. I do not think it is a question of regulation or somehow shutting down the interaction that will always occur through the use of social media, rather it is about educating our young people to the best possible extent on how social media can be used wisely and effectively as a positive force.