1675. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport his views on the adequacy of existing laws and regulations in protecting children online; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63606/26]

Ireland’s regulatory framework for online safety comprises the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, the Online Safety Code, which came into full force in July 2025, the EU Digital Services Act, which came into force in Ireland in February 2024, and the EU Terrorist Content Online Regulation.

This framework includes specific provisions and obligations on platforms to protect minors.

The Online Safety Code requires that designated video-sharing platforms restrict access to certain categories of content that could cause harm to children. These include cyberbullying, promoting eating disorders, dangerous challenges, self-harm and suicide. The Code also obliges designated platforms to prevent minors having access to adult-only content, such as pornography and gratuitous violence and to use effective age-assurance measures to implement that obligation.

The Digital Services Act, which is the policy responsibility of the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, also includes obligations on platforms to protect minors.

Failure by a platform to comply with online safety regulation can lead to significant fines. Ongoing non-compliance with the Online Safety Code can lead to criminal sanction for senior management.

Proposals for further protections for minors online are expected soon. The Special Panel on child safety online, which was convened by President von der Leyen and reported in July 2026, has recommended further measures to protect children and young people online. This includes an EU-wide age restriction on access to social media and other digital services for children under 13, with flexibility for Member States to introduce other precautionary measures such as different age thresholds. The European Commission is considering the Special Panel's recommendations and is expected to announce legislative and other measures during Ireland's EU Presidency.

Next week I will host an EU Presidency Conference on Online Safety for Children and Young People, as well as a meeting of EU Ministers, which will give concrete expression to the need for further action in this area. The European Commission is also preparing other proposals on child protection online. These are to amend the child protection provisions in the Audiovisual and Media Services Directive and a proposal for a new Digital Fairness Act to protect online consumers, including minors.

As the protection of children and young people online is a key theme of Ireland’s EU Presidency, we will give priority to the negotiations on these proposals as soon as they emerge.