Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 1431: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the measures, legislative or otherwise, he will introduce to restrict the use of advertisements that are aimed specifically at children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1060/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Section 19(1)(c) of the Broadcasting Act, 2001, provides that the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland shall, upon being directed by the Minister to do so, prepare a code specifying standards to be complied with, and rules and practices to be observed, in respect of advertising, tele-shopping material, sponsorship and other forms of commercial promotion employed in any broadcasting service or sound broadcasting service which relate to matters likely to be of direct or indirect interest to children.

The Children's Advertising Code, drawn up by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland on foot of this legislative provision, sets down measures to be complied with in such areas as endorsement of products by children, protection of children from scenes which will cause distress to them and standards in the area of advertising relating to diet and nutrition. The code became operational in January, 2005 and is due for review during 2008.

As the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland is an independent statutory organisation responsible inter alia, for the development of codes and rules in relation to programming and advertising standards, I have no statutory function in the development of such codes.