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	Ireland is one of just eight countries yet to fully adopt EU rules on combatting child sex abuse and pornography, more than a year after the passing of a deadline.</p>
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	The European Parliament urged countries to work together to combat the growing &lsquo;darknet&rsquo; and help protect children, warning the latest horrific reports should serve as a wake-up call.</p>
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	Justice Minister Francis Fitzgerald held a round-table meeting with the ICT industry, social media and the garda&iacute; last month on tackling online child sexual exploitation.</p>
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	She recently published heads of a new Criminal Law Sexual Offences Bill that would introduce wide-ranging reforms, including measures to protect children from sexual exploitation.</p>
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	It will aim to protect young people against grooming in person and online. &ldquo;The new offences also reflect the reality that predatory sexual activity to target children can now take place online, for example via social media,&rdquo; she said.</p>
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	However, Nathalie Griesbeck, one of the MEPs who worked on the report that came before the European Parliament, said it was a scandal so many member states had not fully brought the legislation into law.</p>
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	&ldquo;Online sexual abuse and child pornography are a monstrous, growing phenomenon and constitute serious violations of fundamental rights&rdquo;, she said.</p>
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	Her report said more than 80% of the victims are under ten, and 10% of victims of child sex abuse on the internet are under the age of two.</p>
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	She said a comprehensive approach was needed with all concerned working together to combat the sexual exploitation of children, and child abuse images.</p>
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	<a href="http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/delay-in-adopting-eu-rules-on-abuse-317953.html">http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/delay-in-adopting-eu-rules-on-abuse-317953.html</a></p>
