Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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617. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will introduce legislation to ban the depiction of strangulation in pornography as has been done in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65200/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Non-fatal strangulation became a specific standalone offence with the commencement of the relevant provisions of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023. The evidence shows that strangulation is often an indicator of further, potentially lethal violence, and this legislation reflects the seriousness of this conduct.

While there are currently no plans to introduce the legislation referred to by the Deputy, all legislation is kept under review and I will consider any changes necessary to ensure it remains effective, proportionate, and fully compliant with due process and the Constitution.

I am aware of the concerns surrounding the ease of access to violence and extreme content online. Such material can have harmful impacts, particularly on young people, including distorting healthy sexual development and contributing to misogynistic attitudes.

Responsibility for addressing these issues is shared across Government, including my Department, the Department of Communications Culture and Sport, and Coimisiún na Meán, which has lead responsibility for online safety regulation.

Cuan, the statutory domestic, sexual, and gender based violence agency, is coordinating implementation of the Zero Tolerance Strategy. Actions focus on prevention and cultural change, and include developing a pornography literacy strategy, delivering public education and awareness initiatives on online safety, and highlighting the harms of pornography and its role in reinforcing misogyny and violence against women, and measures to ensure online platforms are accountable for regulated content.

Development of the Fourth National DSGBV Strategy will begin by mid-2026 and will be informed by a review and evaluation of the 2025-2026 Implementation Plan of the Third National Strategy, which was launched in June and which runs until the end of 2026. Further actions to address the harms caused by violent pornography will be considered in the development of that Strategy.