Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to say a few brief words. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle might let me know when I have a minute remaining as I will share time with Deputy Andrew Doyle.

The landscape for broadcasting has changed very significantly over recent years. When I entered this House initially, most households throughout the country only had terrestrial television but in the last 20 years, the international reach of broadcasting corporations has become truly global, particularly with the advent of the Internet. At a more local level there has been the successful explosion in popularity of local radio stations. Broadcasting has changed very significantly and in that context, the legislation is welcome.

Some people have argued, with regard to some provisions in the Bill, that because of our inability to police non-terrestrial broadcasters from outside the country, we should sit and do nothing. I do not accept this argument. On the contrary, it is a reason to take an initiative at European Union level, where Ireland has the capacity to pursue these matters, or at a global level. If, in choosing to restrict the reach of advertising for children it transpires that children continue to have access to advertisements prohibited under the legislation on other broadcasters such as Sky television, it will make a strong case for having an international code of conduct. We should not take a "do nothing" approach. In any case, the non-terrestrial broadcasters tend to construct their advertising in compliance with national legislation.

I propose to focus on the legislation's provisions on junk food advertising by the food industry. While an initiative is needed on this issue, it must be developed in consultation with the food industry. A legitimate criticism has been made that consultation on the Bill has been insufficient. I hope further consultation will take place with the food industry before Committee Stage. While I support in principle the decision to include in the legislation the ultimate sanction — a ban on advertising — the codes of conduct provided for should be devised in consultation with the food industry.

My colleague, Deputy Terence Flanagan, referred to an interesting recent report which showed that sugar and salt levels in certain cereals are significantly higher in Ireland than in the same branded products in New Zealand and Australia. This appears to be due to a perception that awareness of dietary and healthy living issues is greater in New Zealand and Australia than in Ireland. The House has a role to play in ensuring that products for which advertisements targeted at children are broadcast on television are healthy in the wider sense. There is no appetite, if I may be pardoned the pun, to take a big brother approach by arguing that children should never go to McDonalds or eat pizza or the sugary cereals to which they are inclined to gravitate. A balance must be struck.

I have raised previously in the House the failure to target sufficiently sports funding at activity for all and the focus on the development of niche sports. While I support the Bill in principle, healthy foods produced by the dairy and meat industries must not be categorised as unhealthy by those who police the legislation. These products form the backbone of the Irish food industry and are worth approximately €20 billion to the economy every year. The food sector directly employs 48,000 people with as many as 50,000 others employed indirectly.

Television has an enormous reach and exercises a disproportionate influence on children. Anyone with children will be aware of the impact of television advertising on children. For this reason, the Bill should include the ultimate sanction. I hope the codes of conduct will be framed in consultation with the industry in a manner that recognises the challenges we face in respect of issues such as childhood obesity. It is impossible not to acknowledge the extent of this problem. However, the new codes must also be balanced, fair and reasonable and the industry must be able to live with them.

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