Irish parents are among the most protective in the EU when it comes to their children using the Internet, a survey has revealed

The Europe-wide study found they are least likely to allow their youngsters to give out personal information online, talk to strangers, visit chatrooms or use email or instant messaging. They are also more inclined to limit the amount of time their kids spend online and to have rules stopping them from setting up a profile on a community. Martin Territt, director of the European Commission Representation in Ireland, said it was good that Irish parents are wary of the dangers posed by the Internet. He said: "One of the most positive findings of this survey is that Irish parents are amongst the most likely in the EU to talk to their children about what they do online. With eight out of 10 Irish children regularly using the Internet, they need to be aware of potential dangers."