Now minister snubs Facebook probe
COMMUNICATIONS Minister Denis Naughten is to snub today’s Oireachtas committee meeting about Facebook, despite receiving an invitation from fellow TDs and senators to attend – and even being encouraged to so by the Taoiseach.
Last week, Leo Varadkar and Minister Naughten received invitations to appear before the special sitting of the communications committee to discuss revelations about Facebook unveiled in the recent Channel 4 Dispatches documentary.
The meeting was called amid growing concern over the role social media is taking in the lives of children and adults, particularly since the Dispatches programme showed workers who monitor Facebook material being told that graphic violence should be allowed.
Mr Naughten will not be attending, even though he is the minister directly responsible for these issues, and even though the Taoiseach last week said he would encourage the minister ‘to attend before that committee’ and to answer any questions it has.
A spokesman for the minister said he would not be there but did not say why.
The Taoiseach has already snubbed the committee, telling them it wasn’t his job to attend, assigning responsibility instead to Mr Naughten.
Last week he said: ‘It’s the line minister who attends them on behalf of the Government.’
He told the Irish Daily Mail: ‘I make myself available to take questions twice a week in the Dáil for more than two hours, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, where I take questions from everyone on almost any topic.
‘When it comes to sectoral committees, the 15 or so committees that follow Government departments, it’s the line minister who attends them on behalf of the Government.
‘And yes, I will encourage Denis Naughten to attend before that committee and ask any questions they have.’