Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)

This laissez-faire approach is, in effect, allowing our children to be abused. We have heard of child sexual abuse and other emotional abuse and this is commercial abuse. The Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy de Valera, should give consideration to introducing regulations. With or without parental consent, commercialisation in schools is a scandal. Will the Minister issue real and effective guidelines, as she does with curricula? Boards of management must teach the curriculum as well as anything else. Advertising in schools is becoming endemic.

See this speech in context