TikTok declines cttee invite to discuss motorway videos

In a response to a meeting request, a TikTok spokesperson said they cannot attend because of the ongoing garda investigation, a separate examination by Coimisiún na Meán and the fact they are the only company to have been asked to attend.

Yesterday, Labour TD and media committee chair Alan Kelly wrote to TikTok requesting that its officials attend a meeting next month to discuss the situation and what he described as "content that glorifies irresponsible or illegal activity".

However, in a letter sent to Mr Kelly this afternoon, which has been seen by RTE News, TikTok's head of public policy Susan Moss wrote: "Both An Garda Síochána and Coimisiún na Meán are conducting their own examinations into the matter referred to in the statement by Deputy Kelly.

"As a result, we believe it would not be possible to appear before the committee in public session until this process is completed.

"The same issues arises in relation to other social media platforms and messaging services where instances of the content complained of is present.

"However, those platforms have not been invited to appear the committee at this time.

"TikTok does not consider it appropriate to be the sole representative of the video sharing industry in such circumstances," she wrote.

Dangerous motorway driving akin to attempted murder - MEP

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher has said deliberately driving down the wrong side of a motorway is akin to attempted murder.

The MEP for Ireland South said existing legal framework for dealing with "willfully negligent driving such as driving down the wrong side of the motorway" is not fit for purpose.

He said legislation should be amended to reflect the seriousness of such crimes.

"Anyone driving deliberately down the wrong side of a motorway is putting other people's lives at risk, and the punishment must reflect that. It's akin to attempted murder in my opinion.

"Applying penalty points to licenses many of these criminals don't have is futile. Crimes, and they are most clearly crimes, of this nature must result in a custodial sentence to reflect the severity of the crime," he said in a statement.

A vigil will be held in Carlow tomorrow evening for three women and a boy injured in last weekend's crash on the M9 .

The vigil will take place in St Clare's Church in the town at 6.30pm.

The family were travelling to Dublin Airport to attend a wedding in the UK when a car being driven the wrong way on the M9 in Co Kildare collided with their vehicle.

Driving down motorway the wrong way a 'heinous crime' - Burke

Speaking this afternoon, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke said his heart went out to the family, and described the incident as a "heinous crime".

He said: "When you talk about driving down a motorway in the wrong direction, that is one of the most extreme crimes you can commit, in my view because you really are putting people's lives in extreme danger.

"My heart really goes out to a normal family, heading to the airport...going about their daily life.

"We really have to get our act together; first of all, this is a real heinous crime and it should be called out as that, secondly; I think gardaí need to be supported in the training they require; pursuit training.

"We have seen gardaí having to go through the courts to vindicate their name, facing charges because they made live decisions trying to protect their communities.

"We need to have a look at the balance on that decision making process trying to protect their communities versus what's going to happen to me?"

He said he would support additional penalties for driving the wrong way down a motorway as suggested by Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan.

"The message needs to go out loud and clear that that will not be tolerated in any shape or form and the gratification of it on social media either is also exceptionally extreme.

"We really have to do a lot of work in this regard."

Separately, Minister of State at the Department of Transport Seán Canney told RTÉ he has had no contact with the Road Safety Authority (RSA) since the M9 crash.

Minister Canney was understood to have contacted the RSA yesterday about its response to this week's motorway crash.

It is believed Minister Canney contacted the RSA to raise his concerns over its initial response, and what he believed was a lack of enough emphasis on road safety messaging in the days after it happened.

In recent months, the minister, who is an Independent TD, has been in discussions with other Government ministers over whether to alter the RSA to include a specific road safety section.