Growing menace of cyberbullying
SICIDE by young people and the growing menace of cyberbullying was raised in the Dáil by Fianna Fáil Deputy James Browne. ‘Ireland has the fourth highest rate of teen suicide in Europe,’ he said. ‘No corner of Ireland is unaffected by these tragedies. Cyberbullying is increasingly cited in the deaths. Bullying can lead to depression, anxiety, sleep deprivation and the drastic decision by a young person to take his or her own life.’
Desperate children and distraught parents need help and the bullies need to be addressed, he said. ‘Young people need to be given hope, access to services and coping skills. What steps is the Government taking to address the menace of cyberbullying and the issue of young people taking their own lives?”
In reply the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, Richard Bruton said there is a whole-of-Government initiative on Internet safety.
‘It was being led by the Department of the Taoiseach,’ he said. ‘It involves strengthening criminal law, actions to improve the education supports for young people through schools and Webwise, and making online supports available for people with mental health difficulties, an area that the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, has been pioneering. Under the initiative, 25 actions will be implemented over the next 18 months. It is now being led by the Department of Education and Skills.’