Sandra Overend MLA , Ulster Unionist Spokesperson for Children & Young People, has welcomed the commitment from Junior Ministers Jonathan Bell MLA and Jennifer Mc Cann MLA to do everything possible to promote internet safety. Following a meeting with the two Junior Ministers at Parliament Buildings, Sandra said:
“Protecting children on line and supporting parents to keep their children safe in the virtual world is a key issue that should be near the top of all our priorities. I am pleased that Ministers agreed that this is the case and that we can work together to take this is forward”.
The meeting examined the co-ordination of internet safety and how OFMDFM could add value to what is already happening across government departments and at Westminster. It was agreed by the Junior Ministers that internet safety would be tabled as a cross cutting issue at the Delivering Social Change Inter-ministerial Group and that OFMDFM would look at a gapping exercise in terms of what is happening in Northern Ireland. It was hoped that a number of awareness raising actions could be taken forward for young people and their parents in particular about the dangers posed by sexting.
“The internet is a wonderful resource but it has placed new challenges in our way which we have a responsibility to meet; the challenges of the internet are the same in Moneymore as they are in Manchester. I look forward to working with Ministers here and hope that by Safer Internet Day in February 2013 we will have made further progress on this important issue.”