Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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185. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which incidents of internet grooming have been reported to her Department in each of the past three years to date; the extent to which legislative measures to date are adequate to deal with the situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14654/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Whilst concerns have been expressed to my Department by individuals and organisations about the use by young people in relation to social media and cyber bullying, incidents of internet ‘grooming’ have not been reported, and if there are concerns about this by individuals they should be reported to An Garda Síochána.

Internet safety is the responsibility of the Office for Internet Safety, an executive office of the Department of Justice and Equality. They are also responsible for promoting an EU initiative called Internet safety Day has published an information leaflet with key advice on how you can combat cyberbullying and how you can help others without putting yourself at risk. The leaflet was distributed to each Library Authority and made available in public libraries on Safer Internet Day.

The ISPAI Hotline.ie Service (the Hotline) was launched in November 1999 to provide an anonymous reporting service to members of the public who accidentally uncover illegal content on the Internet, particularly child pornography or activities relating to the sexual exploitation of children. The Hotline is supported and funded by the Internet Service Providers Association of Ireland whose members are determined to take measures to counter the use of their Internet facilities for such illegal purposes.

The www.hotline.ie service receives part-funding from the European Commission's Safer Internet Plus Programme.