Social media giants need to tackle abuse of referees and sportspeople, committee hears

Oireachtas committee heard the impact of abuse on individuals was discouraging for people to remain involved in sport.

Social media giants are not taking online abuse of sportspeople and volunteers like referees seriously, one of the most senior sports administrators in Ireland has said.

The chief executive of the Federation of Irish Sport, which represents 110 sporting organisations across the country including 81 national governing bodies and 29 local sports partnerships, told an TDs and senators that "it is not nice out there at the moment" for volunteers and sportspeople alike, due to the prevalence of real-time and online abuse.