Simon Harris believes that children under the age of 16 should not be on social media.

The Irish Government is preparing a system where age verification for certain websites will be checked against an individual’s PPSN.

The Government has been urged to support a ban on ‘recommender algorithms’ for under 18s.

Ireland is not ‘kicking the can’ to Europe to investigate X, the Taoiseach insisted.

Tánaiste Simon Harris described a ban on under-16s being on social media as a ‘North Star’.

Representatives from Meta, Google, and TikTok will appear before the Committee on Wednesday afternoon.

The Tánaiste said: ‘This can’t be the wild west anymore.’

Patrick O’Donovan said that allowing children to view ‘heinous’ material online was the public health issue of our generation.

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said hate and misinformation was being spread through communities by these algorithms.

EU member states are looking at restricting young people’s access to social media platforms.

Ireland’s media regulator has said it will hold media companies to account if they do not improve safety measures such as age verification.

Appeals Centre Europe will receive disputes from people and organisations across the European Union.

The X owner has been engaged in a row with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after a number of riots across Britain.

The Tánaiste said that the effects of smartphones and social media sites on children is ‘the public health threat of our time’

Representatives from Meta, TikTok and X were told by TDs that ‘social media is a cesspit’.

The Tánaiste said that being overly prescriptive does not always work when asked about implementing a ban

Social media company X was criticised by Oireachtas committee members for not appearing before them on Wednesday.