Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 66: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the recent call from primary school teachers representatives for growing commercialisation in schools to be tackled; his views on whether young children and their parents are being exploited by commercial interests that use the education system to run promotions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14369/04]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I assure the Deputy that I share the concern implicit in his question that the use of educationally linked promotions should not exploit schools pupils and their parents.

In the commercial world, private companies are free to promote their businesses in accordance with accepted marketing practices, such as the provision of vouchers which can be redeemed for a variety of purposes. There are also accepted marketing standards, such as compliance with advertising regulations which guide, inform and control the relationship between the vendor and potential customers. I recognise the sensitivities attached to the issue of promotion initiatives linking schools, pupils and parents to commercial activity. However, it would be inappropriate to prohibit marketing or sponsorship initiatives, provided that such schemes do not place undue pressure on parents in terms of requiring additional expenditure, that children are protected from engagement in inappropriate promotional activity and that the schemes are linked to desirable projects serving national educational initiatives. The discretion of management in individual schools is the appropriate mechanism to avoid the excesses raised by the Deputy.