Peadar Tóibín Aontú has submitted the Protection of Children (Online Pornographic Material) Bill (2020) to the Dáil, which is set to be discussed in its first stage on Tuesday, November 17. The Bill will make the online provision of pornography to children by internet companies illegal.
Commenting on the issue the Bill is intended to deal with, Meath West TD and party leader Peadar Tóibín said: “The danger that the proliferation of online pornography poses to our children is one that has gone unchecked for far too long. The proliferation of pornography in just that last few years in Ireland has been immense. Today eight and nine years olds have access to hard core explicit materials that would have been illegal to be viewed by adults just a generation ago. Research at the School of Psychology, NUI Galway has shown that almost 60% of teenage boys living in Ireland see porn before the age of 13. Pornography has become so easily accessible that many parents feel it is virtually impossible for them to exercise control over what their children are consuming.”
He continued, criticising Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael for their inaction on the issue of the provision of pornographic material to children, saying the Government has “dragged its feet”.
“We in Aontú have drafted a bill that is a first step in the right direction,” he said.