Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

This is my key point. Let us work together on this legislation. Let us start by commencing the legislation already on the Statute Book to counter situations like gambling. There are situations involving companies advertising what are supposedly health products that are extremely dangerous to young people. We know that marketing lists are used all the time for profiling. A child may have indicated a vulnerability. Perhaps the child has been looking at a site around her personal appearance and so forth. That can become part of a profile that allows a company to target such a child with messages.

We have legislation on the Statute Book already. If commenced, that legislation would mean that at least such activities, where there is commercial intent in the targeting of vulnerable young persons, would be diminished significantly. It would mean we would not have a situation whereby a company can have a profile of a vulnerable young person that can be shared and used by others. A company may have knowledge of persons who have indicated vulnerability in one space. That information may be shared with others who may use it to target those persons. Often this occurs with unsolicited messages that can push people further along routes of self-harm or self-endangerment.

I realise this is a matter for the Minister for Justice and Equality. I appeal to the Minister of State to pass on my appeal as a first step and set a date for commencement. I look forward to taking the other aspect relating to harmful content further in future. I commend the Senator.