Mary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I remind the House that tomorrow is the final day for registering an interest and engaging with Judge Yvonne Murphy on the issue of symphysiotomy. Any lady unfortunate enough to have had this barbaric act performed on them should register their interest with the judge. She has agreed to travel around the country to meet any lady affected. I encourage everyone to register with her in order that we can receive an independent report and have full closure on this matter.

In today’s edition of The Irish Times Elaine Edwards has an article on online content and children. I am concerned to read that one in five children has been upset by something they have seen online in the past year. Up to 20% of nine to 16 year olds reported they had viewed something that had made them uncomfortable or wished they had not seen. That is double the percentage in a similar survey three years ago. The report also found that more girls were bothered than boys. This is Safer Internet Day. To create a better Internet together, everyone in the Internet community needs to be aware and it is vital that parents keep themselves fully informed as best they can. Will the Leader organise a debate on children and Internet usage, especially in the light of the concerning figures reported today? I welcome the announcement which coincides with European Safer Internet Day by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, on the extension of the public consultation process on online bullying, with the task force accepting submissions from the public until 18 March. I am glad that they submissions will identify policy solutions to the problem of cyberbullying.