Jillian van Turnhout (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I second the amendment proposed to the Order of Business, that No. 14, Adoption (Identity and Information) Bill 2014, be taken before No. 1. I proudly co-sponsor the Bill with Senators Averil Power and Fidelma Healy Eames. We have worked hard to strike a balance and ensure there would be safeguards in place, but the vindication of the right to one's identity is at the heart of it. For all of us, to know who we are and who our parents are is critical for our identity, medical information and understanding.

I welcome the move by UPC to block child abuse material. Mobile phone service operators already do this as part of an EU agreement and I hope other service providers will follow suit. I note that in February 2012, as an independent group, we tabled a motion on the issue, calling for the blocking of child abuse material. I followed it up in September 2013 with a report and have we had a fruitful debate in the House on the issue. I thank Senators for their support. Some commentators are referring to the material in question as child pornography. It is child abuse material. It is a crime scene, a digital recording of a most monstrous crime against children. This is about protecting real children from real abuse in the real world; it is not something to trivialise. I know that blocking of the material by service providers is not a panacea and will not deter people from file-swapping. People will come across an image for the first time; they will be disgusted and walk awaym but quite a number of them will come back to it and then start trading in child abuse images. Where do they get these images? They make them of children in Ireland and across the world. Interpol tells us that 74% of the images depict children under 10 years of age. There are images of children still with their umbilical cords. We need to urge other broadband providers to block child abuse material, as it is a most heinous crime. I ask for Senators' support in that regard.