Shane Cassells (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the acceptance by the Government of the references in respect of sporting bodies, as Senator Carrigy has pointed out. As the Minister has said, there is a need for media literacy, not just among educational bodies and society more broadly, and sporting bodies especially.

Two weeks ago, we launched our Oireachtas committee report on bullying within sporting organisations. A specific piece of work also was done on online bullying. Representatives from all the major pillar sports were at the launch in Leinster House and it received significant media coverage. Unfortunately, we cannot legislate for cop-on. Unfortunately, it is an ever-diminishing return in society. I wish that we could legislate for it. That particular report launch came only three days after a very high-profile match that was held, which included an incident involving numerous players in a row that was broadcast live on television and then debated. Subsequently, one of the members involved, who was not a member of the playing squad, was identified online with his name, his profession and everything about him being blasted online. Instantly a hate campaign began, with a trial on social media, without following any of the due regard that sporting organisations have for their own players. Regardless of whether what the young man did was right or wrong - and it was wrong - he equally was entitled to not have his own life decimated in that way. There is a period of education required for sporting bodies and their members about events that happen within sporting organisations and then seeing it blasted out on social media. Our report launch came a short space of time after that incident, which was very welcome because it showed the deficiency within our society and within our own organisations in respect of how we treat each other. Sometimes we treat one another extremely badly online. We would not like to see it happen on the streets but it suddenly becomes acceptable online. There is a coarseness to the discourse that happens online. We cannot legislate for idiots but making insertions regarding educational programmes for all spheres of society is a very welcome step. I hope that those who lead within those organisations engage proactively with the commission so perhaps we can reduce that coarseness and see a bit more decorum in society.