Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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My engagement with An Coimisiún is framed by the overall legislation, the Broadcasting and Other Media Regulation Acts 2009 and 2022 (BOMRA), which sets out that Coimisiún na Meán is independent in the exercise of its functions.

I commenced the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act (part of BOMRA) on 15 March 2023 and thereby formally established Coimisiún na Meán on the same date as a multi-person commission. The Executive Chairperson and Commissioners, including an Online Safety Commissioner, were formally appointed on that date.

My Department has an annual Oversight Agreement with An Coimisiún which focusses on ensuring that appropriate processes and procedures have been adopted and followed. Officials in the Department engage with An Coimisiún within the framework of this agreement, including formal quarterly governance meetings.

An Coimisiún has a published workplan, setting out a range of deliverables and milestones, including adopting online safety codes and implementing priority actions set out in the Future of Media Commission Action Plan. Officials in the Department regularly engage with An Coimisiún on these and other relevant policy matters, as appropriate.

Importantly, in July 2023, the Digital Services Commissioner was appointed, whose role is to lead the Digital Services Coordinator (DSC) function under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA has applied to very large platforms and search engines since August 2023, enforced by the EU Commission, and from 17 February 2024, it will apply to all online services, to be enforced jointly by DSCs in each member state and the EU Commission.

An Coimisiún has also been designated as a competent authority under the Terrorism Content Online Regulation (TCOR). Policy on TCOR and DSA are led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment respectively.

Under the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, my Department is responsible for an annual exercise to check compliance with provisions of the Code. The first such exercise in respect of An Coimisiún will commence next month in respect of the period to end-2023.