Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I will use two or three minutes and Senator Alex White will use the remainder.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Kelleher, to the House. When I spoke previously, I referred to RTE and other broadcasters providing periods of children's programming free from advertising. Advertising to children works and is considered lucrative within the business, with top advertising agencies introducing children's divisions. Children of less than 12 years of age may not be able to recognise traditional advertising compared to normal programming or its sales promoting nature. The influence of advertising on children's lives may include incidents of pester power, for example, repetitive requests for junk foods high in fat and salt, a matter referred to in the Bill, that force parents to buy what they might otherwise not, resulting in obesity. The copying of behaviour is common, thereby affecting attitudes. Television advertising in particular is believed to have a profound effect on children.

In Austria, there is no advertising during children's programmes. In Norway, there is no advertising in connection with children's programmes. In Sweden, advertising targeted at children under 12 years of age is not allowed. Those countries believe that it is not morally acceptable to use television, a powerful advertising medium, as a means of targeting children and that advertising on television is used to cheat young children who are unable to understand exactly what is occurring. Ireland has no such ban, but should it? It is inappropriate to target children with advertising, particularly in respect of fast food-type products where copied behaviour in an imperfectly controlled environment — for example, families in which both parents work — may result in obesity.

However, the argument is not only concerned with obesity and junk food, which are referred to in the Bill. It may be about toys, computers, clothes, etc. Children, particularly those under the age of 12 years, should have commercial-free periods of television viewing in their homes. A policy response that requires broadcasters to provide a number of hours per day of commercial-free children's television programming is a small fight against what Sweden refers to as the morally unacceptable. Will the Minister of State consider my suggestions? The Labour Party will consider whether it will table amendments to extend the ban into areas other than junk foods. As Senator O'Reilly stated, it is disappointing that no restriction will be placed on alcohol advertising.