National Advisory Council for Online Safety (NACOS)

Membership
Report of a National Survey of Children, their Parents and Adults regarding Online Safety
Terms of Reference
Minutes of the Council
Publications of the Council

The National Advisory Council for Online Safety, established as part of the Action Plan for Online Safety 2018-2019 , is a forum for non-governmental, industry, and academic stakeholders to discuss online safety issues.

It has 20 members and a chairperson, drawn from children's and parents' organisations, major online platforms, and experts on online safety issues.

The Council’s terms of reference are:

• provide advice to Government on Online Safety policy issues

• identify emerging issues where government intervention may be warranted, including in future iterations of the government's Action Plan

• input to the development of clear and easy to understand Online Safety guidance materials for all internet users, including targeted material for children and young people, persons with learning disabilities, parents, and older people

• to act as the national stakeholder forum for the purposes of EU funded programmes

• review national and international research and disseminate key findings to Government, stakeholders, and the wider public

• provide an annual report for Government to coincide with Safer Internet Day

Membership

The members of the Council are from the following organisations:

• Minister Catherine Martin – Chair

• Brian O'Neill, DIT – Deputy Chair

• Department of Education and Skills

• Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

• An Garda Síochána

• Office of the Ombudsman for Children

• Office of the Data Protection Commissioner

• Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children

• Age Action Ireland

• Webwise.ie

• Hotline.ie

• National Parents' Council (Primary)

• SpunOut.ie

• Facebook Ireland

• Google Ireland

• Technology Ireland (IBEC)

• Vodafone Ireland

• Cybersafe Ireland

• Aconite Internet Solutions

• DCU National Anti-Bullying Research & Resource Centre

• Irish Council for Civil Liberties

Report of a National Survey of Children, their Parents and Adults regarding Online Safety

This 2021 report presents findings of three national research surveys, one of children, one of their parents and one of adults, in respect of online risks and safety. The research was commissioned following a recommendation of the National Advisory Council for Online Safety (NACOS) in 2019 that research be undertaken to address gaps in the evidence base about the state of online safety in Ireland.

The report aims to foster and provide for up-to-date, reliable and robust evidence regarding risks and harm online, for children and for adults alike.

Terms of Reference

The Terms of Reference of the NACOS are as follows:

provide advice to Government on Online Safety policy issues
identify emerging issues where government intervention may be warranted, including in future iterations of the government's Action Plan
input to the development of clear and easy to understand Online Safety guidance materials for all internet users, including targeted material for children and young people, persons with learning disabilities, parents, and older people
to act as the national stakeholder forum for the purposes of EU funded programmes
review national and international research and disseminate key findings to Government, stakeholders, and the wider public
provide an annual report for Government to coincide with Safer Internet Day