A task force has been set up to develop a response to harms caused to children and young people by certain types of online activity.
The 13-member Online Health Taskforce will be chaired by children's rights advocate, Jillian van Turnhout.
It is to hold its first meeting this month, deliver an interim report within six months and a final report in September next year.
Annual funding of €1m is being allocated for an awareness campaign.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said there was a growing body of evidence from Ireland and internationally, showing the link between online activity and physical and mental health harms, including anxiety, sleep deprivation, eating disorders, self-harm and suicide ideation.
He said that under EU legislation online platforms are already being investigated and a number of national legislative actions have been taken here.
Interim Chief Medical Officer Professor Mary Horgan said that the digital world was relatively new, but evidence shows its negative impacts can be devastating and long lasting.
