Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Carrigy for tabling amendment No. 26. We are all aware that sportspeople are being targeted from the side of the pitch, on the athletic ground and in the stadium or arena. The problem has been particularly abhorrent in certain sports. I am acutely conscious that social media has made it much easier to target abuse at our sportspeople. That is why it would be important for Coimisiún na Meán to be established as soon as possible to allow it to begin to make binding online safety codes to tackle the prevalence of harmful online content such as cyberbullying on social media platforms. I am aware, however, that the issuance of the codes is only one part of the solution to the abuse of sportspeople.

As the Senator's amendment indicates, it will be vital that an coimisiún works with bodies across different sectors such as sports, education and culture to promote online safety. It is because of the wide array of bodies with which an coimisiún will be required to work that I would be cautious about specifying any one particular body with which it must engage.

Section 7 of the Bill inserts section 32 into the Broadcast Act 2009, which provides that an coimisiún may enter into co-operation agreements with a body established in the State. This section will enable the commission to engage with bodies such as the Federation of Irish Sport and, indeed, a singular national governing body, NGV, such as the GAA, the FAI, the IRFU or the Camogie Association. It would also allow for engagement with Sport Ireland as the statutory body charged with developing sport in the country. I am aware that Sport Ireland is already carrying out work in this area and has produced a staying safe online resource. Ultimately, I am reluctant to specify a role for a specific body in the Bill. As a result, I cannot accept this amendment today. Rather, I would like to see an coimisiún in a position to exercise its capacity to co-operate with bodies across multiple sectors. I propose to reject this amendment for now but to return to the matter at Report Stage, if the Senator is agreeable, and we can liaise regarding an alternative and perhaps less specific form of wording.