MINISTER FOR Communications Eamon Ryan was accused of "copping out" by dealing with mobile phone bullying through criminal legislation rather than introducing phone-blocking technology, which is produced in Ireland.
Noel Coonan (FG, Tipperary North) said: "We're talking about five- to 14-year-olds and dealing with this in a criminal manner is not the answer."
"This is really a cop out on your part," he said as Mr Ryan insisted that because it was a very serious issue "the Garda . . . seeing it as a criminal activity are the ones who are responsible".
During Question Time in the Dáil, Mr Coonan said an Irish company operating from the Digital Hub, with an Enterprise Ireland grant, was travelling "halfway around the world to Singapore" to install Sim cards to deal with the problem.
"It's simple, easily done, urgently required and you're not following it up," he said.
"The time has come when you must take action, call in the operators and ensure that the technology is used, and put an end to this tremendous and growing problem."
He also called on the Minister to publish a set of "updated anti-bullying guidelines that can be used by the operators in this country because it's 14 years since they have been revisited".
