Patrick O’Donovan T.D., Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, updated this week’s Government meeting on progress in online safety, emphasizing the protection of young people online. He highlighted advances in developing a robust age verification mechanism through Ireland’s Digital Wallet, led by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO), with the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport collaborating to integrate an age verification tool into the system.
Minister O’Donovan noted that significant progress has been made in implementing Ireland’s online safety framework and commended Coimisiún na Meán for their work. He stressed that the effectiveness of these measures depends on introducing a secure age verification tool, which will provide assurance that children are accurately identified and protected from harmful or illegal content online.
He clarified that the development of an age verification tool is separate from discussions about a potential digital age of majority. Minister O’Donovan emphasized that any decisions regarding age-based restrictions on social media should be made at the EU level to ensure a harmonized approach and a solid legal foundation. With Ireland set to hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of next year, he plans to prioritize the online safety of young people during this period.
