Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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172. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the plans to implement the aspects of the EU Digital Services Act not included in the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39232/22]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The Digital Services Act is expected to be adopted into EU law in October of this year. If so, it will apply in Ireland from mid 2023 for the very large online platforms and from 1 January 2024 for all other internet service providers that are in scope.

As the Digital Services Act is an EU Regulation, it will have direct effect in Ireland. That said, there may be some provisions that will need national measures in order to be operative here. Accordingly, my Department is assessing the DSA's text with a view to identifying which provisions will need supporting measures in national law, taking into account existing law as well as the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022.

The DSA includes an obligation on the State to designate a competent authority for implementing and enforcing the DSA in Ireland, known as the Digital Services Coordinator. The Government decided on 1 March 2022 that the new Media Commission, which will be established on a statutory basis by the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022, will be the Digital Services Coordinator. National legislation will be needed to give effect to that designation. My Department is preparing draft legislation with a view to having the Digital Services Coordinator in place by the time the DSA applies here.