DUBLIN, Ireland: Ireland's media minister said he was "annoyed" that the EU could not agree on how to deal with children who access inappropriate material online.

Allowing young children to use social media is a public health issue of our generation, Patrick O'Donovan said, and governments have a duty of care to protect children.

He said allowing children "uncontrolled" access to the internet is the same as giving them a drink at a bar or a box of cigarettes and matches.

He said the government will soon roll out a "digital wallet" app that would include age-verification controls.

The wallet would allow the government to send out alerts and information.

He said a large pilot would commence early in 2026, involving around 2,000 people aged over and under 18.

The development of the digital wallet is being led by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, while O'Donovan's department is working with the office on providing an age-verification tool as part of the process.

O'Donovan said they would be able to restrict, via legislation, the level of information being transferred from the digital wallet to social media platforms.

Ireland is moving ahead with its own plans as the EU has not reached a consensus on the issue.
"We're allowing children access, in an uncontrolled manner, to some of the most heinous material online.

We will be examining all aspects of this, including the impacts and the use of algorithms to direct people to certain areas, and that clearly is an issue."

He said he was "annoyed" that the European Union had not yet acted on this issue, and said "the failure" of its institutions to act as one voice "is to our collective shame."

Asked about concerns that children could get around age-related restrictions, O'Donovan replied, "We have to try. And if at first we don't succeed, we're going to try it again."

He added, "We're not talking about removing children from technology and sending them on a one-way ticket back into the Stone Age. What we are doing is talking about protecting their innocence."

He was also asked whether Ireland would follow Australia and implement a social media ban for children aged under 16.

O'Donovan said there was no point in saying they were going to shut down the internet or do something silly because that would only end up in a protracted legal battle.