Ireland will treat proposed European Union rules restricting children's access to social media platforms as an urgent priority during its presidency of the Council of the EU, Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O'Donovan announced on Friday.

Speaking as Ireland hosts a high-level conference on child online safety at Dublin Castle, O'Donovan stated that Dublin stands ready to lead intergovernmental negotiations on a legal framework once European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen introduces formal proposals. Von der Leyen is expected to outline the structure of an EU-wide social media "delay" or age-gating framework during her State of the Union address next week.

European leaders and policymakers remain in discussions regarding the precise age threshold and technical mechanisms for any broad restrictions. An expert advisory panel established by the Commission recommended limiting social media access for children under 13 and establishing phased controls for older teenagers, while individual member states such as France have advocated for higher limits targeting under-15s. O'Donovan has previously expressed support for restrictions affecting users under 16 and emphasized the necessity of robust age-verification systems across digital services.

While Ireland is seeking a unified, harmonised EU response to online harms, O'Donovan noted that domestic legislative action remains an option if member states fail to reach a common European approach. The Council presidency gives Ireland a direct role in chairing ministerial discussions and shaping legislative progress on digital regulation across the 27-nation bloc.