Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

467. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will consider the prohibition of pornographic websites that portray violence and rape; if he will introduce legislation to track the internet protocol address of individuals who browse pornographic websites that portray violence and rape; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4834/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Deputy may be aware that Coimisiún na Meán has been established further to the provisions of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 and operates under the aegis of my colleague, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

The Act empowers an Online Safety Commissioner, as part of the wider Coimisiún na Meán, to hold designated online services to account through binding online safety codes. These codes set out obligations in relation to how these services tackle, at a systemic level, the availability of defined categories of harmful online content.

An Coimisiún published its first online safety code on 21 October 2024, which sets out actions that video sharing platform services must take to protect users, and children in particular, from certain types of harmful online content. Importantly, as required by the Directive, An Coimisiún is independent in the performance of its functions.

The first online safety code forms a part of An Coimisiún’s implementation of the overall Online Safety Framework, which also includes the EU’s Digital Services Act.

Under a commitment in Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence, research will be undertaken to inform strategy on the harms of how pornography and the sex trade fuel misogyny and violence against women. Work to progress this research has commenced.

Individuals who access material that is criminal in nature – such as child sexual abuse material – should be aware that An Garda Síochána has the powers and collaboration systems necessary to identify such criminal activity and that prosecutions can and have been taken in such cases.