Marie Sherlock (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for yet another outing on these amendments. Amendment No. 83 proposes to insert a provision in the Bill whereby the commission will not co-operate with self-regulatory systems or any other non-statutory mechanism that is not part of the legislative framework. The key issue is that either we are serious about regulation or we are not. Self-regulation has been shown not to work. If we are serious about the commission being a truly independent body then it is about ensuring that it does not involve itself with self-regulatory systems. In a self-regulatory system there will always be a conflict of interest. We know in particular from research into food and beverage marketing that self-regulation has proven to be weak and meaningless.

The clear issue in this country is that online advertising is, effectively, self regulated. Television advertisements are not. It is telling that we have clearance system for advertisements for television whereby they must go through the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland in advance. For online advertising we are dependent on citizens bringing complaints in respect of breaches of the code after the advertising has happened. We are dependent on a vigilant public speaking out. The amendment is to ensure no time or resources are spent by the commission on the regulation of commercial communications and in particular self-regulatory commercial communications.