Governance
CyberSafeKids: Governance
While we aim to be as sustainable and self-sufficient as possible, we also benefit from the generosity of others. It is important to us that we are as transparent and accountable at all times.
Governance
CyberSafeKids is a registered charity.
While we aim to be as sustainable and self-sufficient as possible, we also benefit from the generosity of others. It is important to us that we are as transparent and accountable as we can be, and that we strive to be good stewards of the resources entrusted to us, as enshrined in our organisation’s Values.
CyberSafeKids is fully committed to achieving the standards contained within the 'Statement of Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public' and has formally discussed and adopted the Guidelines at a meeting of the governing body in 2018. We confirm our commitment to the principles set out in the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public.
Our Board consists of passionate people who are experts in their individual fields including law, accounting, education, cybersecurity and organisational management.
Together, they help to ensure the good governance of CyberSafeKids. For each trustee, we publish a bio and the date when they joined the board on our website.
Our audited annual accounts for the year ending 31/12/24 can be downloaded by clicking here.
The salary for our CEO is set at €63,654 per annum, on a pro-rata basis. No other staff member receives a higher salary than this. We will continue to publish our accounts on our website on an annual basis.
We confirm that our organisation complies with 'The Governance Code for the Community, Voluntary and Charitable Sector in Ireland' and has, since 2019, attained the Charities Institute of Ireland 'Triple Locked' membership.
Our Board
Our board help to ensure the good
governance of CyberSafeKids
Our Board consists of passionate people who are experts in their individual fields including law, accounting, education, cybersecurity and organisational management. Together, they help to ensure the good governance of CyberSafeKids.
Joe Carthy
Board Member
Joined our board in September 2015. Professor Joe Carthy was appointed Dean of Science in UCD in 2011. He has a strong record in winning funding for research activities and together with colleagues has been awarded more than 5.4 million Euro for research projects. He is the founding Director of the UCD Centre for Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Investigation which has established strong links with international law enforcement agencies and international organisations such as Europol and Interpol. Joe was a director and former chair of Camara, a not-for-profit which strives to improve education in disadvantaged communities.
John Fitzsimons
Chairperson
Joined our board in March 2016 and was appointed as chairperson in November 2022. John is a self-employed business coach and consultant and also teaches in UCD Smurfit and DCU Business School. Previously John was CEO of Camara Education, a social enterprise that uses technology to deliver 21st century skills and improve education in disadvantaged communities around the world. John has split his career working between the commercial sector and the charity sector in Ireland, the UK and Africa. He has a Degree in Electronic Engineering from University College Dublin, an MBA from Smurfit School of Business and is currently completing an Advanced Coaching course also in UCD Smurfit.
Geraldine Cashman
Board member
Joined our board in May 2020. Geraldine is a qualified accountant and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ireland. She has over 18 years of Finance and Commercial Finance experience in both private and public companies across eCommerce, technology private equity and telecommunications industries. She is currently working as a Senior Accounting Manager for LinkedIn at its EMEA Headquarters in Dublin.Geraldine has a passion for teamwork and is a strong proponent of the power of teamwork and culture as the keys to business success. She is very interested in the areas of coaching and mentoring and was recently awarded a Diploma in Coaching with Neuroscience.
Mona O’Moore
Special Advisor
Mona O’Moore is Fellow Emeritus of Trinity College Dublin and Adjunct Professor to the School of Education Studies at DCU. She is the Founding Director of the National Anti-Bullying Research and Research Centre, formerly of Trinity College Dublin but now located within the School of Education Studies at DCU. Former Professor and Head of School of Education in Trinity College Dublin, she is a Graduate of Trinity College Dublin and gained an M.A. (Child and Educational Psychology) from University of Nottingham and a Ph.D (Psychology) from University of Edinburgh. She has written widely on the subject of bullying including: School Bullying: A Guide of Parents and Teachers(Veritas,2010), Bullying in Irish Education: Perspectives in Research and Practice (Cork University Press, 2013) and Understanding Cyberbullying: A Guide for Parents and Teachers.
Brian O’Neill
Special Advisor
Joined our board in September 2015. Moved to advisory role April 2020. Brian O’Neill is Director of Research, Enterprise and Innovation Services and Dean of the Graduate Research School at Technological University of Dublin (TUD). He has published extensively on his own research areas, and leads the Irish component of Net Children Go Mobile research. He is a member of Ireland’s Internet Safety Advisory Council and is national coordinator for EU Kids Online. He was appointed as an Independent Assessor to the ICT Coalition for a Safer Internet for Children and Young People in 2013 and was Chair of the government’s Internet Content Governance Advisory Group until 2014. He has published extensively on his own research areas, and leads the Irish component of Net Children Go Mobile research. He is a member of Ireland’s Internet Safety Advisory Council and is national coordinator for EU Kids Online. He was appointed as an Independent Assessor to the ICT Coalition for a Safer Internet for Children and Young People in 2013 and was Chair of the government’s Internet Content Governance Advisory Group until 2014.
Fiona Conway
Special Advisor
Joined our board in March 2016. Moved to advisory role in April 2020. Fiona is a qualified accountant, Chartered Institute of Management Accounting, with over fifteen years’ experience working in the Internet, Technology & Utilities sectors both in Ireland and overseas. Fiona worked mot recently for LinkedIn at its EMEA headquarters in Dublin in the area of Financial Planning. Working in partnership with her sales business leaders, she specialised in providing the key information required to ensure the business increased its growth and margins.
Orla McDermott
Board Member
Orla is an experienced internet infrastructure specialist, having worked in eircom for 13 years on the rollout of many of the networks that makes up today’s internet in Ireland. Taking time out from industry to raise her two young children, Orla is a keen advocate of promoting internet safety and education for parents and their children. She joined the board in January 2021 and is looking forward to providing a meaningful contribution to the promotion of a safer internet in Ireland.
Clare Daly
Board Member
Joined our board in February, 2023. Clare is a practicing solicitor in Comyn Kelleher Tobin Solicitors. She has over 16 years of broad and varied experience in legal practice, specialising in child protection, and data protection with a particular focus on the data rights of children; litigation, personal injuries, mental health law, education law, family law and has advocated in the District, Circuit and High Courts. For over 10 years she advised a statutory body charged with investigating breaches of children’s rights. Clare has considerable experience providing advice to organisations on their child protection obligations and has advised statutory bodies, insurance companies, sporting & religious bodies, charities, universities, schools and numerous organisations working with children. Clare is a lecturer in the Law Society of Ireland, in the areas of child protection and data protection law. She has published articles in the Irish Law Society Gazette, Irish Journal of Family Law, Irish Educational Studies Journal, and regularly contributes to local and national media.
Cliona Curley
Co-Founder & Special Advisor
Cliona specialises in cybercrime analysis and investigation. From 2005 to 2013, she worked as a senior officer for the UK National High Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). During this time, she represented the UK on many occasions on G8 and Interpol working groups as well as working on investigations into organised crime in conjunction with major European and US law enforcement agencies. After returning to Ireland, Cliona joined the Centre for Cybersecurity and Cybercrime investigation in UCD, building forensic tools for law enforcement, as well as developing and delivering training in cybercrime investigation and related areas for An Garda Siochana and law enforcement agencies across Europe. Since 2014, she has delivered online safety sessions in Irish primary schools. She is passionate about protecting children online and believes that education is crucial. This was a strong motivating factor for the establishment of CyberSafeIreland CLG in 2015.
Bryan Hickson
Board Member
Bryan is Vice President and Managing Executive Partner with Gartner for Ireland and the UK. He is also a member of the Gartner Ireland Limited Board of Directors. His passion lies in Strategy, Transformation and supporting organisations at all levels in both business and technology. Prior to joining Gartner, Bryan’s career began in IBM Ireland where he held a number of senior positions in the Software, Infrastructure & Services divisions. He latterly joined EY’s Advisory business and spent time also in Financial Services. Bryan is qualified in Organisational Behaviour and is Senior Executive Coach (EMCC). He was voted Student of the Year twice by his peers on the IMI Executive Diploma Programme in 2021 & 2022. Bryan enjoys supporting his social community also, taking part in many social and fundraising events as well as being an active member of Residents & School Associations. He is married to Emma and has two great kids, Josh & Amy who remind him to always stay grounded and what's really important.
Kevin Breen
Board Member
Kevin Breen is a Business/IT Executive with over three decades of experience in a number of disparate global roles. He is passionate about driving breakthrough business results through a proactive and positive fusion of people, business and technology/digital acumen. Kevin is Founder/Principal Consultant with CyberActive Limited, an Adjunct Professor with University College Dublin, a member of the Institute of Directors [IoD] and is a recognized Fellow of the Irish Computer Society. He is an Advisory Board member of Irish Tech Startups Corrata, & Xpanse AI. Kevin is also a Steering Committee member of the Irish National Coalition for Digital Skills/Jobs, an EU Commission sponsored initiative [EU DSJC]. Previously, he has managed IT organisations at both an Ireland and regional/global level in Fortune50 companies, including Intel & DEC, with responsibility for new capability introduction and delivery of world class business service management. Kevin holds 1st Class Masters Degrees in both Business Administration [MBA] and Computer Science [M.Sc].
Sinéad Keane
Board Member
Sinéad Keane (she/her), Deputy CEO and Director of Communications and Advocacy at Belong To – LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland. Sinéad has extensive experience delivering results in the fields of public affairs, campaigning, and strategic communications. As Director of Communications and Advocacy at Belong To, Sinead leads the communications, campaigns, policy and research team ensuring the lived experience LGBTQ+ youth is central to their work. Sinéad’s background is in journalism, media relations, and communications with experience in non-profit organisations like Amnesty International Ireland and Women’s Aid. Sinead has a 1st Class BA in Communications Studies from Dublin City University and a 1st Class MSc in Clinical Integrative Psychotherapy from University College Cork. Sinéad is an accredited psychotherapist with the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and runs a private psychotherapy practice.
Susan Ryan
Board Member
Susan is a seasoned HR professional with over 20 years of experience, including an extensive background in retail management and a recent focus on the engineering industry. Susan began her career at Estée Lauder Cosmetics in a customer-facing role, steadily advancing through a series of management positions. Her journey culminated in the strategic role of Manager of Retail Operations for Ireland. She later transitioned into a dedicated HR role and is now a key member of the Senior Management Team at Cully, where she oversees Employee Engagement and Retention. Susan firmly believes that people are the most valuable asset of any organisation and the cornerstone of its success. She is highly skilled in all aspects of employee relations, including talent acquisition, training and development, performance management, and succession planning. Her strong communication and relationship-building abilities have been instrumental in her career achievements. As a parent to two primary school-aged children, Susan is passionate about contributing her expertise and experience to this vital organisation and supporting its mission to make a meaningful impact on the lives of young people.
2021-22 Annual Report
Released on September 6th 2022. Our new annual report is a detailed overview of data we collected in the 2020-21 academic year from 4,408 children (aged 8-12). The report highlights our observations, recommendations and a call to government to create a safer online world.
2020-21 Annual Report
Despite the challenges of 2021 and the global pandemic, we have produced a detailed overview of the data we collected from children in academic year 2020-21. The report highlights our observations on trends, risks and opportunities, as well as recommendations for a safer online world for children.
2019-20 Annual Report
In September of each year, we launch our Annual Report for CyberSafeKids. The report includes extensive data we have collected from pupils, teachers and parents who have participated in our educational programmes. Each report also contains our recommendations for Government.
2018-19 Annual Report
In September of each year, we launch our Annual Report for CyberSafeKids. The report includes extensive data we have collected from pupils, teachers and parents who have participated in our educational programmes. Each report also contains our recommendations for Government.
2017-18 Annual Report
In September of each year, we launch our Annual Report for CyberSafeKids. The report includes extensive data we have collected from pupils, teachers and parents who have participated in our educational programmes. Each report also contains our recommendations for Government.
2016-17 Annual Report
In September of each year, we launch our Annual Report for CyberSafeKids. The report includes extensive data we have collected from pupils, teachers and parents who have participated in our educational programmes. Each report also contains our recommendations for Government.
Complaints
Date reviewed: 22.06.22
Our Commitment to You
CyberSafeKids is committed to ensuring that all our communications and dealings with our members, the general public, our supporters and all who engage with us are of the highest possible standard. We listen and respond to the views so that we can continue to improve. CyberSafeKids welcomes both positive and negative feedback. Therefore we aim to ensure that:
- it is as easy as possible to make a complaint, where the need arises;
- we treat as a complaint any clear expression of dissatisfaction with our operations that calls for a response;
- we treat every complaint seriously, whether made by telephone, letter, email or in person;
- we deal with any complaint quickly and politely;
- we respond accordingly – for example, with an explanation or apology where we have got things wrong, and with information on any action taken, etc;
- we learn from complaints, use them to improve, and monitor them at Board level.
What to do if you have a complaint?
If a participant or organiser of one of our talks would like to raise a complaint, the first opportunity to do so is through the feedback form we provide at the end of the session. This feedback is monitored on a monthly basis by members of the team.
Beyond our feedback forms, if you do have a complaint about any aspect of our work, you can contact CyberSafeKids by email. In the first instance, your complaint will be dealt with by our Admin Officer. Please let us know how you would like us to respond, with relevant contact details.
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +353 (0)1 2549986
What Happens Next?
If you complain in person or over the phone, we will try to resolve the issue there and then. Similarly, if you complain by email or in writing we will always acknowledge your complaint within 7 days, and do everything we can to resolve it within 21 days. If this is not possible,
We will explain why and give a new deadline. All complaints will be logged in our ‘complaints register’ and tracked until they are resolved. The complaints register is reviewed by the board of directors annually.
What happens if the complaint is not resolved?
If you are not happy with our response, you may get in touch again by writing to CyberSafeKid’s Chair, [email protected].
Who will ensure that your appeal is considered at Board level. They will respond within two weeks of this consideration by Board members.
Acting on Results
We will do everything we can to put things right and will review our procedures where necessary to stop problems happening again.
Your Voice
We hope you agree that most of the time we do provide a good quality service. We value all feedback from those who engage with us and would also like to hear from you about what you think we do well.
This process for lodging complaints does not apply to CyberSafeKids’ staff or volunteers, who have a separate procedure for lodging any complaints.