TAOISEACH Varadkar has supported new legislation which will require parents to give their consent before their children go online.
Following consultation with children's charities, Tusla, the Children's Ombudsman and NGO's, Varadkar has said that 13 should be the age when children be allowed to use the internet.
According to The Irish Times, the Taoiseach: "We agreed that the age should be 13 ... There was extensive consultation over and back and in the end we took the advice of organisations like the Children’s Ombudsman, Tusla and different charities and NGOs in the sector and we went with that."
He also said he recognised the epidemic of bullying and called on companies to protect children from paedophiles and bullies online: "I’m very conscious of the extent to which bullying has changed since you and I were kids.When we were kids, when it came to bullying, at least you could escape it, at least you could go home or you knew there was somewhere to hide.
"But the difference now is that this content and this form of bullying and intimidation can come with you everywhere you go."
The regulation will come into effect in May 2018.
See More: Digital Consent, Featured, Leo Varadkar
