Minister for Health discusses €1M funding for children’s online health taskforce

The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has spoken out after announcing the establishment of an Online Health Taskforce.

The taskforce, which is chaired by children’s rights advocate Jillian van Turnhout, has been asked to develop a public health response to the harms caused to children and young people by certain types of online activity.

Due to a growing amount of evidence in Ireland and internationally that shows the link between online activity and physical and mental health harms including anxiety, sleep deprivation, eating disorders, self-harm and suicide ideation, this taskforce has been set up. 

The Online Health Taskforce has been asked to consider a range of social, mental health, physical health and sexual harms and have also been asked to recommend strategic responses to address these harms on children and young people. 

This may include national guidelines, regulation, legislation, education, awareness campaigns, as well as additional health and social care support.

Speaking about the news, Minister Donnelly, who has allocated €1 million in annual funding for national awareness campaigns explained, “I firmly believe that the harms to young people as a result of online interactions constitute a public health crisis. While I recognise that technology and social media can have many benefits, we need to ensure that robust mechanisms are put in place that protect young people”.

“We cannot be complacent in our response, which requires a comprehensive, cross-sectoral approach. We need to act now, to protect young people today and to safeguard future generations. That is why I have established this Taskforce. Its members are all experts in their fields and I am confident that their work will provide us with a clear roadmap”.

“I am very pleased that Jillian Van Turnhout has agreed to Chair the Taskforce, which is holding its first meeting next week, and look forward to seeing the first interim report of the Taskforce in 6 months’ time”.

The Minister for Health continued, “In recognition of the critical nature of this problem, I am allocating €1 million in annual funding for national awareness campaigns, aimed at increasing the knowledge and understanding of young people, parents and guardians about the potential harms associated with some online activity. An additional €200,000 will be allocated to CyberSafe Kids to facilitate the great work they do in supporting children, parents and educators”.

Latest

Trending