Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We have tabled amendment No. 100 on a related issue. It would remove the ban on political advertising on certain forms of media. We have the odd situation at the moment where if I wish to place a political advertisement, I can take one out in a newspaper, in the cinema and on any social media website, including that of my local radio station, but I cannot place one on television or on independent or commercial radio.This kind of ban was fine in the past when, effectively, television and radio were incredibly powerful whereas as we now know, much of the emphasis has shifted to social media. The idea that we are limiting where political advertising, either by political parties or others, can take place in certain areas while allowing it in others seems completely ridiculous.

What we would prefer to see happen is the removal of the proposed ban on advertising on radio and television. Instead, the commission would regulate it and the same rules would apply across all media. Essentially, what we would like to see is a levelling of the playing field so that if somebody wants to place a political advert on his or her local radio station, the same rules would apply as if he or she wanted to put it on Facebook, Twitter or whatever. The reason for the prohibition in the past made a lot of sense but in today's world it is actually discriminatory against the more traditional broadcast media. It would, therefore, make more sense to remove those sections from the legislation and instead allow for the development of a code by the commission.