Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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400. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to outline the ongoing efforts by her Department to counteract internet bullying in respect of children and young adults outside of an educational environment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19135/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I am conscious of the issue referred to by the Deputy. The internet is an increasingly valuable resource for everyone, including children and young people, but it also exposes people to new risks, including the risk of cyberbullying.

A range of Government Departments and agencies have a role in relation to internet safety, including: the Department of Justice and Equality, which has responsibility for the Office of Internet Safety; the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, which has functional responsibly for internet providers; and the Department of Education and Skills, which leads on the implementation of the Action Plan on Bullying. While my Department does not have a lead responsibility in these areas, I am conscious that issues emerging in relation to online safety require a whole of government approach. In this regard, the Department of the Taoiseach is currently developing an Action Plan on online safety and my Department is participating in this process.

The Children First Act 2015 places a number of statutory obligations on organisations providing relevant services to children. These obligations include: a requirement to keep children safe from harm while they are availing of the service; a requirement to carry out a risk assessment; and a requirement to prepare a child safeguarding statement which sets out the policies and procedures which are in place to mitigate these risks. My Department plans to amend the Children First Guidance to include a specific reference to the need to consider online safety in the completion of a Child Safeguarding Statement.