Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I realise the Minister has to leave. This media standards debate is important but it should include social media as well. Free speech is essential for a liberal democracy but the new media has increased its effectiveness greatly as well. Let us consider the Twitter revolution in Moldova in recent times and the Arab spring. These offer examples of how much free speech is enabled by social media. Even Facebook cannot be blocked by the great firewall of the People's Republic of China.

Where are the boundaries in social media between the freedom of speech and privacy and freedom of speech and personal safety? This question could be a great deal more significant than we realise. What steps will the Government take to regulate social media to ensure appropriate protections to safeguard the rights of the person wrongly accused of something, wrongly attacked or bullied? Cyber bullying is alive and well. How can the perpetrator be punished if the person posting on social media is anonymous or if the Internet Protocol, IP, address of the person is registered in the United States of America and not traceable while he or she continues to wreak havoc? I am keen to hear the Minister's answers to these questions. This area is new for all of us. However, it is alive and well. I heard recently that the Office of the Press Ombudsman has no remit over local media. Is that true?