A number of internet service providers have failed to sign up to a code of practice aimed at safeguarding children, it emerged today.
The Internet Advisory Board (IAB) told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications that only 14 of the 18 internet service providers in Ireland had signed up to the code.
Committee chairman Mr Noel O'Flynn said the four remaining providers "should be named and shamed" until they agree to abide by the code of standards.
Ms Audrey Conlon, chairperson of IAB, said that the definition of what was obscene or indecent under current legislation was causing a difficulty in interpreting the law.
Mr O'Flynn reminded members of a case earlier this year in Co Cork in which a pornographic image was sent to a schoolgirl.
Ms Conlon said the IAB was currently looking at sophisticated filtering technology to block out pornographic material.
Deputy Tommy Broughan called for the IAB to be placed on a statutory footing to give it more significant powers. He said it was quite common for children to type in random words in an internet search, which could "trigger an avalanche" of pornographic material.
Mr Broughan also referred to the "explosion of gambling" on the internet and insisted vulnerable people were "encouraged to bet on anything".
Mr Peter Breen of Regtel - the regulator for premium rate telephone services - said premium rate telephone calls and texting services were generating millions of euros for service providers every year.
Mr O'Flynn said he had personal experience of this when an employee in his company called a premium rate line but failed to replace the handset properly.
He added: "Telecom Eireann got onto us the next morning to tell us that the phone call ran up a bill of €1,200 overnight."
PA