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From:Department of Culture, Communications and Sport

Strengthening online safety for children and young people is a key priority under Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU. Over the next two days, the Irish Presidency will bring together key parties involved in online safety across Europe to listen to the results of expert data and analysis, discuss and reflect on the online experience of children and young people and the risks to their safety online, and to consider the next steps needed to shape the future online safety framework for children and young people across the EU.The Conference will be hosted by Patrick O’Donovan TD, Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, and will take place in Dublin Castle.Speaking ahead of the Conference, Minister O’Donovan stated:

“I have made clear from the start that my priority is to ensure safety for children when they are online. Now is the time to act. In this Irish Presidency Conference on Online Safety for Children and Young People, we have convened key parties involved in online safety ranging from policy making, academia, civil society and industry to young people themselves."

We must grasp the opportunity to interrogate the issues and have honest and open discussions at this critical time on how to finally protect children and young people effectively when they are online.”

Conference proceedings on Day 1 will open with a keynote address by Minister O’Donovan. This will be followed by a high-level scene setting discussion on the evolution of the online experience for children and young people, and the online safety responses to date. Marking the 20-year anniversary of EU Kids Online, Day 1 will also include the launch of the report of the EU Kids Online 2026 survey, providing key points from the survey of over 26,000 children and young people aged 9-17 across 19 European countries. Day 1 proceedings will conclude with a panel discussion on the benefits of safe online engagements.

Young musicians from Music Generation Cavan/Monaghan Cross-Border Folk Orchestra will perform at a reception for the Conference delegates in the evening.

Conference proceedings on Day 2 will open with a keynote address by Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice President of the European Commission for Technological Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy. The Conference will then hear from participants in the Youth Forum on Online Safety, convened by Minister O’Donovan in June. This will include a presentation on key findings from the Youth Forum and their experience of consultation, followed by a discussion by young people with the Minister and EVP Virkkunen on what minors think about online safety. The Conference will then turn to the report of the Co-Chairs of the Special Panel on Child Safety Online with a presentation from Co-Chair Prof Jörg Fegert followed by a discussion with Minister O’Donovan, EVP Virkkunen, Prof Fegert, industry and young people representatives on the report and next steps.

Commission Executive Vice-President Virkkunen said:

“Ensuring a safe and empowering online environment for our children is a top priority for the Commission—and a mandatory duty for us all. By acting together, with sincere thanks to the Irish Presidency for their leadership and to all participants for their strong commitment, we will work together to ensure that the internet becomes a safe and trusted space for everyone, where the next generation can learn, explore, and thrive.”

The afternoon of Day 2 will begin with an address by Michael McGrath, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection. The Commissioner will then participate in a panel discussion on the future regulatory framework for online safety.

“Ensuring that all consumers - including children and young people – can interact online safely and confidently is a clear priority for me. The digital world is not simply a social or information space; it is also a commercial marketplace designed to capture attention and generate revenue. We must ensure that all consumers enjoy the highest standards of consumer protection online, just as they do offline. This is where the Digital Fairness Act can make a real difference: by strengthening protections for young people online and ensuring they are better protected from manipulative and misleading marketing practices.”

The Conference will culminate with reflections by formal observers on key points raised over the course of the proceedings.

As part of the Conference, the Minister will also host a Ministerial working dinner to discuss the report of the Co-Chairs of the Special Panel on Child Safety Online and the initial views of the Member States on the way forward, notably in respect of any proposal that may be brought forward by the Commission on EU-wide age restrictions to social media and any other digital services.

“I look forward to the discussions with the Ministers and Heads of Delegation that have travelled from [all] Member States. This is a critical time as we look ahead to and prepare for the proposal from the European Commission in response to the report of the Co-Chairs of the Special Panel on Child Safety Online.”

The full Conference programme is availablehere.