Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is that question of the different cogs in the machine. We have focused a lot on self-regulation, which of course is the ASAI, but the key focus, and what we need to examine is the regulations. They are, of course, a harder and a stronger tool in that regard. We have discussed a ban on fossil fuel advertising and certain forms of automotive advertising and I am very sympathetic to the idea of it. I suggest looking to ads for products such as infant formula, which have both an ethical as well as environmental impact. It is an area of advertising that was discussed during our debates on the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022. In that regard, the ban is one tool and then the other is hard regulations. It is not just self-regulation or a ban; there is a ban and then there is regulation. One thing we will see is new media codes being developed through the online safety Act. This is Ireland's transposition of the EU's audiovisual media services directive. I would appreciate the take of the witnesses on what a strong transposition the audiovisual media services directive or Digital Services Act will look like in the context of media codes or clear regulation. Within that, I would appreciate the thoughts of the witnesses, especially those Purpose Disruptors Ireland, around what kinds of elements could go into those new hard media codes. For example, under the self-regulation, section 15 of the ASAI code is just environmental claims. It does not tackle issues such as being honest about the carbon impact of a company's product or a green subsidiary of a major fossil fuel corporation having to be transparent about its links. It does not include everything anything about the life cycle cost or impact. Are there elements we should be looking to make requirements in advertisements rather than just mistakes companies should not make? I am interested in that because those codes are a new area of regulation that is coming in and it would be great for us to try to jump in at the best practice level on this.

Lastly then, I have a question to any of the panel but again, in particular to the representatives of Purpose Disruptors Ireland. They mentioned creativity. When we have a hard regulatory measure, such as in the alcohol Bill, which provides for serious constraints, how can that spark creativity and looking at this in a different way? It relates to the idea of it almost being a frame for a better industry and another frame within that being the emissions of the industry. There is a big difference between a ten-second video that is running all the time and a stationary ad. There is a big difference in how much data different advertising approaches take. Ireland is looking at a third of its electricity potentially going to data centres. Will the representatives comment on the ethics of the mechanics of the industry and again how that can be regulated for and how best practice can also be encouraged in that regard?