Ireland
Europe
Age Verification Compliance Overview
This page provides comprehensive age verification and compliance information for Ireland. Our research team continuously monitors regulatory changes, enforcement actions, and legal developments to ensure businesses have access to up-to-date compliance intelligence.
Ireland maintains a "Heavily Regulated" approach to age-restricted content. This classification indicates strict compliance requirements including mandatory age verification, specific technical implementations, regular audits, and substantial penalties for non-compliance. Businesses operating in this jurisdiction must implement comprehensive age assurance systems and maintain detailed compliance records. Legal consultation is strongly recommended before entering this market.
The information below includes regulatory status, legal requirements, enforcement mechanisms, penalties for non-compliance, acceptable verification methods, and relevant regulatory authorities. This data is essential for platforms, content providers, and businesses that need to implement age-appropriate access controls or verify user ages.
Minimum Age
18+ years
Required age for platform access
Age Gate Required
Yes
Age verification is mandatory
Last Verified
10/14/2025
Most recent data update
Regulatory Timeline
Historical changes and upcoming regulatory events
- Heavily Regulated
Mandatory age verification checks for video-sharing platforms begin: Video-sharing platforms based in Ireland are required to carry out strong age verification checks to protect children from harmful online content, as part of the Online Safety Code.
- Heavily Regulated
Ireland's Online Safety Code published: Media regulator Coimisiún na Meán published the 32-page Online Safety Code, establishing age assurance rules and regulating content for online video-sharing platforms.
- Heavily Regulated
Senator Mullen's Age Verification Bill passes Second Stage in Seanad: Senator Rónán Mullen’s Protection of Children (Online Age Verification) Bill, proposing strict age verification for pornographic websites, passed its second stage in the Seanad. However, the government indicated it might be incompatible with EU law.
- Heavily Regulated
EDRi submits comments on draft Online Safety Code: EDRi submitted comments on Coimisiún na Meán’s draft Online Safety Code, highlighting concerns about mandatory age verification and its implications for privacy and security.
- Heavily Regulated
Proposals for age verification under draft Online Safety Code reported: The Irish Times reported on new proposals within the draft Online Safety Code, including potential requirements for passports, drivers’ licences, and 'live selfies' for age verification on pornography sites. The draft code was out for public consultation.
- Heavily Regulated
Coimisiún na Meán established: Key parts of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 commenced, leading to the establishment of Coimisiún na Meán as the independent media regulator.
- Heavily Regulated
Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 enacted: The foundational legislation establishing Coimisiún na Meán and empowering it to develop and enforce online safety codes was signed into law.
Data Sources
Legal documents and references supporting this data
Showing 5 of 13 sources
oireachtas.ie41
irishstatutebook.iehtml
cnam.ieonline-safety-code
cnam.iewhat-is-illegal-content
oireachtas.ie2
All sources are evaluated for credibility and relevance. Primary sources indicate official legal documents and government publications. Credibility scores reflect source reliability based on jurisdiction, publication authority, and verification status.
Related Countries
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Regulatory Authorities
Regulator contacts will appear here as they become available.