Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

It is a very useful and interesting amendment. In a sense the commission's recent decision throws the issue up for debate. It is by example that we need to discover how legislation applies in practice. There is valid and justifiable concern that the commission's interpretation in this regard was tighter and narrower than many people would have expected. Deputy Broughan made the point well that it is possible to think of other examples, including climate change, as he mentioned. For example, a debate or discussion regarding the war on Iraq might be organised. Would it be possible to advertise that as an event? Is such an event political? It is difficult. What appears to be a very narrow definition by the commission of what is or is not political means that we need to consider the matter and the Oireachtas needs to give some direction.

The application of a very tight definition on an advertisement that I would not have considered questionable — it was not as marginal or as difficult as some we could think of — must set a precedent allowing a wide range of subjects to be considered to be political. We need to consider whether we should leave the broadcasting advertising space completely free of any content that might be non-commercial in nature. Are we suggesting that advertising can only relate to the selling of commercial product, as if that was not in its own right also political? It shows the difficulty of legislating and the lack of wisdom in rushing legislation.

I applaud the wording of Deputy Michael Higgins's amendment. However, in any such amendment we need to be careful not to open a crack, as mentioned by Deputy Broughan, that would allow political advertising that goes over the top. A balance is needed and I am concerned that the recent decision has not got the balance right. I am interested to hear the Government's view on the matter. It should consider adopting this or another amendment that would rectify the balance or give direction to the commission if that is possible. I am of the view that it probably is not possible. I also share Deputy Michael Higgins's concern about whether this was an administrative or board decision by the commission and I look forward to the response of the Minister of State in that regard.

See this speech in context