Ollie Crowe (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Collins to the House and I welcome the Bill before us. Full implementation in Ireland of the EU regulation on a Single Market for digital services is an important step and we should proceed with a speedy and diligent manner. As all Members are aware, services available online have transformed the lives of everyone in the country and throughout the world. They have brought enormous benefits. Information has never been so readily available, connections are available between geographically-remote citizens and new enterprise and trade opportunities have become available. However, it has not all been positive. In recent years we have seen the spread of disinformation becoming a more serious challenge in Ireland and around the globe, as well as the growth of harmful and illegal content. These dangers are not insignificant and the need for a comprehensive and effective regulatory framework to protect individuals as well as society at large has been made clear. European law has been leading the way in this area for some time. It is essential that it continues given the challenges facing us.

We cannot allow online service providers to operate without responsibility. Frankly, this has gone on for too long, particularly with regard to social media which operates on a wild west footing where anything goes. These sites have, of course, provided benefits in allowing us to connect with family and friends and to keep in contact regardless of where we are located. However, they have also been weaponised for bullying and abuse towards many. The owners and operators of social media sites largely refuse to take responsibility for such actions. It is vital they are regulated and citizens are protected to the greatest degree possible.

With this in mind, the regulation is designed to improve online safety by placing obligations directly on providers of online intermediary services, with a focus on platforms such as social media and marketplace sites as well as on search engines. These obligations are designed to expedite the identification and removal of illegal and harmful online content. The regulation also places obligations on service providers to improve the transparency of their services and to give users more control over their online experience.

The European Commission has designated 19 entities as very large online platforms and very large search engines under the regulation. The European Commission has primary responsibility for regulating these entities but will do so in concert with national authorities. As 13 of these very large entities are established in Ireland, we have a fundamentally important role in the overall EU regulatory framework for digital services. In other words, under the country of origin principle the country where the company is headquartered in the European Union, in this case Ireland for 13 of the 19 entities, is obliged to regulate not only at home but throughout the Single Market in its entirety. For this reason it is essential for our national reputation that Ireland enacts the Digital Services Bill before the EU deadline of 17 February, when the EU regulation comes into full effect.

One of the key recommendations of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment in its pre-legislative report was that Coimisiún na Meán be satisfactorily resourced with the level of staffing and legal expertise required to allow optimal operational capacity and enforcement. I am glad to see the Department has acted on this. It is very positive that funding has already been allocated for this purpose, as €2.7 million was allocated in 2023 specifically to support the establishment of the digital services functional in Coimisiún na Meán in preparation for this legislation. Budget 2024 allocates a further €6 million to complete preparations and capacity building for its digital services function and to support initial operations.

The Bill provides a robust and comprehensive legal basis on which Ireland will be able to fulfil its responsibilities in the regulation. I am delighted to speak in support of it today.