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Seanad
‹ An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

Digital safety for children

Summary

Senator Rabbitte seeks interdepartmental agreement on funding and supporting online safety programmes for schools and cites strong parental concern after a local cyber safety workshop.

Mark Daly An Cathaoirleach Fianna Fáil

No, Senator. As a general rule, the Members who lead off are allowed to raise two or three matters but all other Members have two minutes and must either get everything into those two minutes or raise one issue.

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Okay. Go raibh maith agat.

Comment on this

I thank the Cathaoirleach for the opportunity to raise the matter of digital and cyber safety for children. I note that in the programme for Government there is a substantial paragraph laid out on digital safety for young people. I would like a discussion to take place between the Departments of Health and Education to determine which Minister will fund and support the online safety programme for schools, giving them more flexibility in how they use it. One evening last week, I attended a cyber safety workshop in Clarinbridge attended by around 250 parents. Parents are looking for support and I am interested to learn how we are going to fund digital safety communication to help both teachers and young people. A real conversation is needed around up-skirting, down-blousing, sextortion and catfishing. There is a lot going on in the digital space. It is changing on a daily basis and parents are seeking support.

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