Legislative changes on online communications to be taken forward

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has said she will bring forward legislative proposals in 2017 to deal with online communications and digital safety.

Ms Fitzgerald told TDs: “In September 2016 the Law Reform Commission published its Report on Harmful Communications and Digital Safety.

“The Commission noted that we live in a ‘truly interconnected digital and online world’ and it noted the positive benefits to society as well as the negative aspects of this, and the emerging trends to engage in online communications that cause significant harm to others.”

She added: “It is my intention to bring proposals to Government in relation to the criminal law aspects of the Law Reform Commission’s Report very shortly.”

The Law Reform Commission’s report on Harmful Communications and Digital Safety made a number of recommendations on criminal law.

They include expanding the definition of harassment to include online or digital means of communication, creating new offences around one-off harmful communications, and criminalising revenge porn.

A specific offence of revenge porn was created in Northern Ireland earlier this year through the Assembly’s Justice (No. 2) Bill.

The Commission recommends a similar offence in Ireland, as well as a similar offence to target the non-consensual taking and distribution of intimate images without intent to cause alarm, distress or harm.