Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman has welcomed measures discussed by Cabinet aimed at protecting children online.
Minister for Culture, Communications, and Sport Patrick O’Donovan updated the Government this morning on a plan to introduce an age-verification mechanism.
This age-related tool will be piloted through a digital wallet early next year.
This would ensure that only adults could access content that is not appropriate for children.
Minster O’Donovan told colleagues that the focus now has to shift from laws and regulations to practical tools that families can trust.
Speaking this afternoon, Mr O’Gorman said he welcomed “any proposals to make the online space safer for young people”, adding that today’s proposal “deserves serious consideration”.
However, Mr O’Gorman asked if the proposal is “actually workable”, raising concerns that young people “are particularly creative when it comes to technology”.
“I’ve no doubt that a cottage industry will develop very quickly with people trying to find ways around this particular legisaltion,” he said.
He said a pilot scheme to test the programme is “really valuable”.
Mr O’Gorman said there a “question mark” remains around using the MyGov ID process to verify someone’s age.
The Green Party leader said he has “no doubt” that the proposal will be opposed by large social media platforms.
Speaking as he arrived at Government Buildings this morning, Minister O’Donovan said the Government is not considering an Australia-style social media ban on under 16s at this time.
He said such legislation would have to be looked at at an EU level, but added that Ireland will use its EU presidency next year to push the subject of child safety online.
Minister for Education Hildegarde Naughton also provided an update regarding details of the funding for mobile phone storage in schools.
The majority of the available €9 million for this has now been drawn down.
Over 470 of the 672 eligible schools have secured funding totalling €6.4 million.
Schools are required to have a policy to ban mobile phones at primary level and to restrict phones in secondary schools.
Minister Naughton is also set to soon publish a report on the Action Plan on Bullying including online cyber bullying.
Legal right for people to be cared in their own home will go before Cabinet
Landmark legislation that will pave the way for people to have a legal right to be cared for in their own home was also brought to Cabinet.
Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill presented proposals on behalf of Minister of State for Older People Kieran O’Donnell that will lead to the establishment of a statutory homecare scheme to allow people to stay in their own home for as long as possible.
Under the plan, HIQA will be resourced to undertake statutory regulation of the home care sector ensuring that those who provide home-care support are licensed and registered.
The Government was asked to approve a national policy framework for adult safeguarding.
It will strengthen safeguarding to ensure adults at risk are protected against abuse and harm.
It will apply to all public, private, voluntary health, and social care settings.
Protection teams will get powers of entry, and they will be able to obtain court orders.
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley in conjunction with Minister of State for Disability Emer Higgins, brought a memo to cabinet to improve the Assessment of Need process for children and their families.
The move comes as campaigner Cara Darmody began another protest outside Leinster House ahead of a Sinn Féin motion on the issue in the Dáil tonight.
Teenage campaigner Cara Darmody is holding a protest outside Leinster House
Under the Disability Act, an Assessment of Need (AON) is an assessment carried out by the HSE for people with a disability.
The assessment identifies health and education needs and what services are needed to meet those needs.
There will now be guidelines for assessment officers to make clear that the AON process should be focused on establishing the health and education needs for a child, rather than lengthy and complex reports on a diagnosis of disability.
There will also be additional supports and training for them.
These changes will be made by amending the 2005 Disability Act, which set up the AON process.
However, they will not remove any rights for parents to apply for an Assessment of Need for their child, nor will they alter the statutory six‑month timeline set out in the Disability Act.
The minister hopes the reform will lead to a faster way of carrying out Assessment of Needs (AON) reports.
Children do not need an Assessment of Need report to get access to services at the moment.
In some cases, children may already be receiving supports or services, whilst awaiting their statutory assessment of need.
A range of other operational improvements are being introduced to reduce the demand for AON reports, including the launch of a new autism assessment process along with a single point of access for families to HSE services.
National Development Plan for Dept of Foreign Affairs to be discussed
Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee brought several memos to Cabinet, including details of the revised National Development Plan for her Department which will see up to €1.7 billion spent on defence equipment and infrastructure up to 2030.
This includes around €300 million next year.
There is likely to be a focus on investing in enhanced radar equipment and up to €15 million could be spent on anti-drone technology next year.
Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary updated Cabinet on the upcoming auto-enrolment pension system.
There will be an administrative cost of €0.55 per week for those enrolled.
It will be applied to contributions only so that those who opt out or suspend their participation will not be charged.
The minister, who also has responsibility for the Gaeltacht, outlined some of the projects that will be funded under the National Development Plan.
They include Inis OÃrr pier – already under construction – Coláiste Lurgan in Conamara, and No 6 Harcourt Street where an Irish Language cultural centre will be developed.