Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour)

This is an issue that I know the Minister feels strongly about, and she has previously answered parliamentary questions from me about it. What we are talking about is a commercial attack on childhood. Childhood is becoming much shorter, and this is for the purpose of commercial profit. I am aware of the phenomenon of little girls coming to school with pencil cases with Playboy logos on them in a deliberate attempt by certain commercial interests to normalise pornography. The Minister mentioned some of the issues in the Bailey report in the UK, Letting Children be Children, including the inappropriate manner in which various retail outlets were selling children's clothing. What I am hoping is that we will be able to get tough on this and to have strict guidelines for retailers and advertisers. There is money to be made from the shortening of childhood and from encouraging children to have adult attitudes from an earlier stage of their lives. There is money to be made from the music industry - the whole "X-Factor" music industry is particularly directed at children - and from clothing and make-up, so advertising in these industries is being directed at children of younger and younger age groups. Although commercial interests are powerful - money would not be spent on advertising if it were not powerful - we have a responsibility in this House to protect childhood. I appreciate the Minister's response and ask her to indicate the potential legislation in this area.

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