Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the way he proposes to combat inappropriate media advertising aimed at children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53256/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) is an independent statutory body which has responsibility under Section 26 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 for the preparation of broadcasting codes or rules.

Section 42 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 obliges the BAI to prepare and monitor compliance with certain broadcasting codes, including the Children’s Commercial Communications Code, as well as reviewing these codes.

In line with this legislative obligation, the BAI published the Children’s Commercial Communications Code in May 2011. The objectives of the Children’s Code are as follows:

To offer protection for children from inappropriate and/or harmful commercial communications;

To acknowledge the special susceptibilities of children and ensure that commercial communications do not exploit these susceptibilities;

To ensure that commercial communications are fair and present the product or service promoted in a way that is easily interpreted by children and does not raise unrealistic expectations of the capabilities or characteristics of the product or service being promoted, and;

To provide unambiguous guidelines to broadcasters, advertisers, parents, guardians and children on the standards they can expect from commercial communications on Irish broadcasting services.

With regard to advertising to young people in particular, the BAI is also represented on the Alcohol Marketing Communications Monitoring Body, established by, and reporting to, the Department of Health with the aim of ensuring industry compliance with voluntary codes of practice, agreed by that Department and representatives of the advertising, drinks and media communications industries.

I am satisfied that the provisions of the Broadcasting Act 2009 permit the BAI to provide adequate protection to children from inappropriate media advertising and I have no plans, therefore, to amend the current regime.