The mother of a girl who took her own life due to "harassment, stalking, and an online campaign or attack and intimation" has thanked the Minister for Justice for the proposed inclusion of a memorandum in the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill to remember her daughter.
In a statement today, Jackie Fox thanked Minister Helen McEntee following a meeting in which Ms McEntee agreed to make the inclusion to allow for the Bill to also be known as Coco's Law.
Nicole Fox Fenlon, known affectionately as 'Coco', died by suicide in 2018 and since then, Ms Fox has campaigned for stricter measures surrounding online harassment.
Upon hearing the Bill would not be named after her daughter, despite being widely referred to as Coco's Law, Ms Fox and two other campaigners met with Ms McEntee today.
Ms Fox shared the details of Nicole's story with the Minister, adding: "The Minister cried, and I believe her tears to have been sincere and genuine".
According to Ms Fox's statement, Ms McEntee explained the Attorney General had advised the Bill should not be named after Nicole as it may influence juries.
Although Ms Fox disagreed with this view, she accepted "at this point in time, and so close to the enactment of the Bill, there is little space left in which to campaign on this particular issue".
Memorandum
In the meeting, Ms McEntee suggested the inclusion of the memorandum, detailing Nicole's story and the campaign behind the Bill.
Funding for "an educational medium through which young people can be informed about online bullying and harassment" was also suggested, which Ms Fox believes will be a "type of educational foundation".
Ms Fox added that she is due to meet the Minister again in the coming days to "tie down both proposals".
"I would like to express my thanks to the Minister, her assistants and colleagues, Brendan Howlin of the Labour party, all deputies and their staff, campaigners, the public and media, that have supported me in the campaign for Coco’s Law," Ms Fox said.
"I appreciate the alternative proposals made by the Minister and believe, when acted upon, they will ensure my angel Nicole’s legacy is preserved and her story, my pain, becomes a beacon of light and good for all those suffering from harassment and intimidation.
"There are no words suffice to express my appreciation and thanks to the people of Ireland for the support, love and comfort you have given me and my family as I travelled the country campaigning for Coco’s Law. Thank you."
