Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

One of the things that emerged from the committee hearings yesterday was the central and important role of Renault as a key commercial sponsor and partner for RTÉ. If one adds in all the other car companies, as well as the other fossil fuel companies, be they airlines or fossil fuel companies directly, that advertise with RTÉ, it must make up a large proportion of the advertising on RTÉ and across the media generally. Does that not now pose a question on the need to take action, as was taken in respect of tobacco, and ban fossil fuel advertising? These companies are not advertising for the sake of our health. The consequence of their advertising, which works and gets people to use more of these products, is bad for health. Close to 9 million people every year die from air pollution linked to fossil fuels. That is more people than die from tobacco-related disease yearly. Most significant is the impact of this in the context of the future of the planet. In recent weeks, several records have been broken in terms of the hottest day on record. We are facing the symptoms of ecological collapse and can see them all around us. That is being driven by these fossil fuel companies. Is it not time to ban fossil fuel advertising? I and my colleagues are today submitting a Bill to the Bills Office to do precisely that. I invite the Taoiseach to think about it. I hope he will support the Bill when it comes up for debate.

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