Education on cyber bullying

RECENT community policing presentations at schools in County Monaghan conveying information on cyber bullying and Coco’s Law have been very well received by students.

Colin McAree, Area Manager for Foróige, said he has received very good feedback from the presentations including from students themselves who can identify with Nicole Fox (the 21-year-old suicide victim who has inspired the Coco’s Law legislation criminalising a range of cyber bullying and harassment activities).

Mr McAree recommended that this initiative be extended to all schools in the region.

Superintendent Pat O’Connell said that the Gardaí’s schools programme on online bullying is ongoing.

Business representative on the LCSP Cathal O’Gorman referred to a presentation on cyber bullying given to a recent meeting of the partnership by the principal of St Macartan’s College, David McCague, which he said was both impressive and shocking. Mr O’Gorman said the presentation deserves a wider audience.

Cllr Sinéad Flynn (SF) said the Monaghan Women’s Assembly, which she chairs, will stage a conference in collaboration with the LCSP on the theme ‘Safe Digital Spaces – What Parents Need to Know’ in November, and will be inviting parents and other stakeholders.

The Cathaoirleach, Cllr Alan Johnston (FG) said parents need to be more engaged.

He said online safety initiatives geared towards parents and schools are among the actions identified in the LCSP’s community safety plan, which is nearing completion.

Mr O’Gorman said that teachers should be more aware of the problem. Social media means bullying can continue into the early hours of the morning.

The Cathaoirleach said some children are being left with as little as three hours’ sleep a night as a result of this and other social media activities.

Referring to calls to ban social media access for U16s, Cllr Flynn said Australia has introduced such a ban but reports are now claiming that children there are accessing the dark web and extremely unsafe platforms. “The Government must place more onus on the social media companies making billions from young people,” she stated.