The Taskforce was established in September 2024 by the Department of Health – Ireland, in recognition of the growing body of evidence that certain types of online activity are directly linked to physical and mental health harms for children and young people. Jillian van Turnhout was appointed Taskforce Chair.
An Interim Report was submitted at the end of March 2025, representing six months of dedicated work examining the critical intersection between digital activity and young people’s wellbeing. A link to the government website where you can download the report is provided at the bottom of this post. You can read the press release from the Department of Health on the publication of the Interim Report here.
Having met with the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, Jillian van Turnhout is encouraged by the Minister’s commitment “to quickly develop and implement policies and take robust actions towards ensuring and enhancing online safety for our children and young people” following the submission of the final report in October 2025. Jillian is also encouraged by the commitments in the 2025 Programme for Government, and by the constructive engagement across Government departments.
The Interim Report includes a Chair’s essay on the urgent need for systemic investment in offline spaces – real places where young people can meaningfully connect beyond screens. The digital and physical worlds are intrinsically linked, and our children deserve both.
Jillian wants to sincerely thank all members of the Taskforce for their expertise, dedication and collaborative spirit in this vital work.
The work continues toward October 2025, when the final report will be submitted.
