Lorraine Higgins (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I raise this matter on the Commencement of the House today to call for the creation of a single body to lead the charge against cyberbullying, work on awareness and establish an educational campaign on the issue. Currently, eight Government bodies are involved in tackling the issue of cyberbullying, including the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Justice and Equality, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the Office of Internet Safety, the Data Protection Commissioner, the Commission for Communications Regulation and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. Such a broad arrangement is not conducive the to type of urgent and dedicated attention required to deal effectively with the issue of cyberbullying. A cyberbullying task force would also act as an invaluable source of support, training and knowledge sharing.

As has so often been reported, teachers, parents and young people throughout the country are struggling to deal with issues related to cyberbullying and are crying out for additional supports. A cyberbullying task force would provide desperately needed tools of empowerment and education to enable citizens to navigate online environments safely and confidently without any fear. There is no doubt about the many freedoms and benefits we enjoy in the Internet age, but cyberbullying detracts from these and causes a great deal of hurt and distress that has very real effects on people and their lives. It is time for us as a Government to mobilise against such behaviour and to render cyberbullying as unacceptable as bullying in the offline world. By establishing a dedicated cyberbullying task force and implementing the kind of legislation the former Minister, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, and I have proposed, the Government would send a strong message of support to those in need and a clear message of intent to those who offend.

We have seen the wonderful work that agencies like the Road Safety Authority have done to curb road traffic accidents and fatalities. Given that cyberbullying is ageless and the biggest issue confronting generations of online users, we ought to be as proactive as possible when dealing with it. With that in mind, I ask the Minister to consider earnestly my submission.