Labour senator Higgins publishes cyberbullying bill

A Labour senator has published plans to make cyberbullying a criminal offence.

The bill from Lorraine Higgins would make it an offence to share any message that incites someone to commit harm to themselves.

If accepted the bill would provide for up to 12 months in jail, or fines of €5,000, for anyone guilty of cyberbullying.

Senator Higgins has herself received death threats online.

"This is not about me, it's about vulnerable children. I'm thick-skinned, I can take the cut and thrust of this game," she said.

"At the end of the day, there are a number of vulnerable children who have come out to me since I … talked about my own experiences, and have told me about what they've been suffering.

"We have to protect … people whose mental health and wellbeing is being affected, because there seems to be no penalty whatsoever to the perpetrators."