No need for legislation to curb harassment from social media trolls

IT is galling of the Government to blame social media for suicides while simultaneously raiding tens of millions of euro from suicide prevention services in order to shore up the budget of the Department of Health.

The tragic death of junior minister Shane McEntee is the latest in a string of high-profile suicides that have been linked to abusive messages on social media websites by government TDs.

However, their concern would be a lot more credible if it hadn’t been revealed that, as of the start of December, just 17 out of an additional 414 mental health staff, who were supposed to be hired in 2012, had been recruited. Instead of adequately funding local mental health services, it is much easier to demonise social media and create a convenient new bogeyman to blame for the suicide epidemic that has long ravaged the country.