Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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61. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the steps she is taking to ensure that children and young persons are safe when using the Internet; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6753/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Law Reform Commission published its. While noting the positive benefits to society of the interconnected digital world in which we live, the report also noted the negative aspects and the emerging trend to engage in online communications that cause significant harm to others.

In December 2016, the Government gave its approval for the drafting of a General Scheme of a Bill which would provide for new and amended criminal offences along the lines set out in that report. It is intended that this Bill will address the criminal law aspects of the Law Reform Commission’s report. The Commission has proposed extending some existing offences and creating some new criminal offences. The precise formulation of the offences will be subject to review and potential variation during the drafting of the General Scheme.

Child sexual exploitation often occurs following a gradual process of grooming the victim. This may arise through seemingly innocent contact made via information and communication technology such as social media, messaging apps or online forums. This type of technology can also be used to expose children to sexually explicit and inappropriate material. The Deputy will be aware that the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill includes a number of measures to significantly strengthen existing criminal law in combating child exploitation and, in particular, address the use of modern communication technologies as a tool which may lead to child sexual exploitation. The Bill completed its passage through both Houses of the Oireachtas earlier this week.

Hotline.ie provides the public with the means to report illegal online content, such as child sexual abuse material and liaises with An Garda Siochana, as appropriate, to have illegal content is taken down.

An Garda Síochána has an arrangement in place with a large internet service provider to block access to child sexual abuse content in accordance with a list they provide. Among the aims of this initiative is to reduce inadvertent viewing by members of the public, including children, of this illegal material. An Garda Siochana also has a Schools Programme where personal safety issues, including online safety, are highlighted and discussed with children and young people in schools.

In order to assist the public to stay safe on the internet, the Office for Internet Safety in my Department has a series of booklets aimed at parents. The booklets provide information on various aspects of internet safety including filtering, using social networking sites and cyberbullying. These information resources are made available free of charge on the Office for Internet Safety website and also in hard copy on request. The website also contains a wide range of information and links to further resources on internet safety. Ireland also cooperates at an international level to keep children and young people safe online, with the Office for Internet Safety acting as coordinator for the Irish consortium under the EU Internet Safety Programme and channels EU funding to four partner organisations.