A multi-agency approach that involves schools and parents is necessary to deal with cyber bullying.
That’s according to a garda superintendent who told a meeting of the Leitrim Joint Policing Committee this week that cyber bullying is a major concern.
In recent times a number of young people, including some in Leitrim, have taken their own lives beacause, it’s believed, they couldn’t cope with online abuse.
Fianna Fail Councillor Sinead Guckian told this weeks Leitrim Joint Police Committee meeting in Carrick on Shannon she believed the gardai should be at the forefront in dealing with this problem.
She said there were ‘huge concerns’ about cyber bullying.
Garda Chief Superintendent Michael Clancy told the policing committee that technology was racing ahead on this all the time.
He said they had a schools Awareness Programme.
He also said a considerable amount of money had been spent to monitor how young people are approached on the internet, such as in relation to child pornography.
He added that parents need to be informed and gardai were happy to meet with them through their crime prevention officer.
Garda Superintendent Kevin English told Ocean FM News how the gardai were approaching the issue:
