Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 238: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the availability of assistance in the fight against crime through Eurojust; the proposal for a Eurojust national co-ordination system; when he expects the Council decision to strengthen Eurojust to be adopted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8352/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Eurojust is a high-level team of prosecutors — seconded from each EU Member State — based in The Hague. Eurojust can give immediate legal advice and assistance in cross-border cases to investigators, prosecutors and judges in Member States. Each Member State has one national member based in Eurojust; the Irish national member is assigned by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Ireland is fully supportive of Eurojust and actively engaged in its work. In addition to seeking and providing assistance, the information we are privy to by virtue of our involvement in Eurojust is of use and relevance to us. Even if there is no Irish dimension in a particular case, information in relation to how criminals have organised themselves and the methods adopted may be of practical use.

The Council Decision on the strengthening of Eurojust was adopted by the Council of Ministers at the meeting of 16/17 December 2008. Article 12 of the Council Decision provides for the designation of a national correspondent for Eurojust in each Member State and the setting up, within two years of the entry into force of the Decision, of a national co-ordination system to ensure coordination of the work carried out by the persons assigned as national correspondents in relation to a number of EU Decisions concerning international cooperation in criminal matters. The national correspondent for Eurojust will be responsible for the functioning of the national co-ordination system.

The greater part of the Council Decision will be implemented in Ireland on an administrative basis but I am advised by the Attorney General that legislation will be required in relation to one aspect of the Decision, i.e. the provision to allow Ireland's national member at Eurojust to forward requests for judicial co-operation to the Central Authority for Mutual Assistance within my Department (under existing legislation a request for such assistance may only be received from a judicial authority).

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 239: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the office for Internet safety is working with its European counterparts on a regular basis; if there is a provision for greater co-ordination for Internet safety on an EU basis in which Ireland could co-operate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8353/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Office for Internet Safety (OIS) has been established as an executive office within my Department and has taken over the formal role of the Internet Advisory Board in terms of monitoring industry self-regulation in relation to illegal content on the internet. This is an important step in building the best possible protection for the community at large, and in particular for children, from the downside of the internet.

The EU has taken a strong line on combating child pornography and other illegal and harmful use of the internet to date and the Office for Internet Safety is closely involved in this work. In January 1999 the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union adopted the Action Plan on promoting safe use of the Internet by combating illegal and harmful content on global networks. By force of this document the European Commission launched a new programme — Safer Internet Action Plan (SIAP) — to promote safe use of the Internet and other new technologies, including the new generation of mobile phones, online games, chatrooms, and instant messaging software.

The first edition of the Safer Internet Programme ran from 1999-2002. During this period 37 projects across the EU were co-funded under the programme, which was further extended to cover the period 2003-2004 with another 52 projects financed. The second edition of the Safer Internet Programme took place between 2005-2008. The third edition of the programme approved by the Council of the European Union in December 2008 is scheduled to run from 2009-2013 and will have the overall aim of supporting safer use of internet technologies, especially for children. The Office for Internet Safety was actively engaged in providing input into the development of the proposal from an Irish perspective. The Office is also represented on the EU's Management Committee for the Safer Internet Programme.

The Safer Internet Ireland (SII) project is the current Irish project funded under the Safer Internet Programme and comprises a consortium of industry, education, child welfare and government partners to provide Safer Internet awareness campaigns, hotline and helpline functions and other related activities for the Republic of Ireland. The project is coordinated by the OIS to develop national initiatives promoting the safer use of electronic media and enhance protection of the vulnerable, particularly children, against the downside of the Internet. This consortium builds on the experience gained from the previous highly successful but independently run Safer Internet projects.

In addition, the Office for Internet Safety actively participates in EU activities which seek to promote internet safety, including the annual EU Safer Internet Forum and EU Safer Internet Day. Safer Internet Day 2009 took place on 10 February 2009. To mark the day, the Office produced an information leaflet for parents on Internet Safety and a bookmark for children with "Top Tips for Safer Use of Social-Networking Sites". In conjunction with its partners in the Safer Internet Ireland project, the Office was involved in the launch of a new video campaign "Watch Your Space — Stop Cyberbullying" which is currently running on a number of television channels and online media in Ireland. The Office for Internet Safety will continue to work closely with its EU counterparts to ensure the ongoing promotion of the internet safety agenda. Further information on the activities of the Office for Internet Safety is available on its website www.internetsafety.ie.