The Government has announced details of a new online safety law.

Communications Minister Richard Bruton has published a draft scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill.

It will see safety codes for online services, which will be overseen by a commissioner who can issue financial sanctions for non-compliance.

The Online Safety Commissioner will be part of a new Media Commission, which will replace the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI).

It will also take on the role of regulating the audiovisual sector.

Online services will have to comply with binding online safety codes made by the commissioner, who will have "significant powers" to sanction companies for non-compliance.

The commissioner will also establish a scheme to receive 'super complaints' about systemic issues with online services from nominated bodies, including expert NGOs.

They can also request information, investigate or audit an online service.

File photo of a person using a laptop keyboard | Image: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire/PA Images

If an online service is not complying with their safety code, the commissioner will first issue a compliance notice setting out what they must do to bring themselves into compliance.

If the commissioner is not satisfied with the response, they can issue a warning notice.

Following this, if criteria is not met, they can seek to impose a sanction on that service.

Possible sanctions can include: financial penalties, compelling an online service to take certain actions, and blocking an offending online service.

The application of each of these sanctions requires court approval.

Minister Bruton said: "This new law is one of the first of its kind in the world and is breaking new ground in terms of how online services will be required to deal with harmful content."

"We are putting in place a robust framework to ensure, as best we can, that all of us, but especially our children, are protected from harmful content online.

"While it would be impossible to protect people from every danger, this new law will ensure the era of self-regulation is over and that online companies are subject to much stricter standards and sanctions."