Minister for Health publishes the Interim Report of the Online Health Taskforce
- Foilsithe: 14 Meitheamh 2025
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 14 Meitheamh 2025
The Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD has today published the Interim Report of the Online Health Taskforce.
The Taskforce was established In September 2024, in recognition of the growing body of evidence, from Ireland and internationally, showing the link between certain types of online activity and physical and mental health harms to children and young people.
The Taskforce has identified several priority areas for potential intervention. These emerging ideas and recommendations have been synthesised into six strategic categories that will form the framework for its ongoing deliberations and recommendations:
- Legislation/Regulation
- Education
- Information/Awareness Raising
- Safe Environment
- Rights Based Policy
- Research/Evidence
The Taskforce is now moving into the critical phase of its deliberations. A report commissioned from the Institute of Public Health is expected shortly. This will report on children's exposure to health harming products online and set out options to enhance protections in Ireland. The Taskforce has adopted a targeted approach to stakeholder engagement; interested parties were invited to contribute through a dedicated online submission portal. These contributions will be analysed in the coming weeks.
Minister Carroll MacNeill said:
“The digital landscape presents both unprecedented opportunities and significant risks for children and young people. I recently met with the Taskforce Chairperson, Jillian Van Turnhout and I look forward to receiving the Taskforce’s Final Report in October 2025. Following consideration of its recommendations, I intend to quickly develop and implement policies and take robust actions towards ensuring and enhancing online safety for our children and young people.”
Chair of the Online Health Taskforce, Jillian van Turnhout said:
“I am pleased to present this Interim Report representing six months of dedicated work by the members of the Online Health Taskforce. As we develop our final recommendations, we are focused on achieving the essential balance between digital benefits and protections that children and young people deserve.”
Notes to Editors:
The Interim Report sets out the progress the Taskforce has made to date and outlines the pathway to the Final Report which will be submitted to the Minister in October 2025.
The Taskforce has been asked to detail the range of social, mental health, physical health and sexual health harms being caused, which may include anxiety, sleep deprivation, eating disorders, self-harm, and suicide ideation.
The Taskforce is developing a strategic public health response to these harms.
Taskforce members are particularly looking forward to attending, in July, the concluding session of a National Youth Assembly dedicated to online safety, to hear its findings and recommendations first-hand.
At the formal meeting of EU Health Ministers in June 2025, Ministers will consider for adoption draft “Council Conclusions on Promoting and Protecting the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in the Digital Era”. These conclusions will focus on how Member States and the EU Commission, both individually and collectively, can take appropriate actions.