Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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40. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has considered whether a ban on fossil fuel advertising could play a role in reducing demand for fossil fuels and fossil-fuelled vehicles, which, according to the latest annual review of transport from the Climate Change Advisory Council, is still increasing. [28465/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Reducing our carbon emissions in the transport sector by 50% by 2030 will require transformational systemic and behavioural change with improved communication and engagement actions identified as a key pillar of our decarbonisation pathway. Under the Climate Action and Sustainable Mobility Public Engagement Strategy, published on 20th of May, the key objective is to strengthen the social contract between the Government and the public for sustainable transport action through an inclusive programme of communication and engagement at national, regional and community level. Communication and consumer awareness campaigns have also been highlighted as a key action under the National Demand Management Strategy - "Moving Together – A Strategic Approach to the Improved Efficiency of the Transport System in Ireland" – published by my Department for public consultation on 12th of April.

The regulation of car advertising was recognised by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in its sixth assessment report as a policy that can have a major influence on mitigative capacity internationally. Going beyond this, in its 2022 report, Redesigning Ireland’s Transport for Net-Zero, the OECD also highlighted the need to enhance communication efforts to address car-centric mindsets, and that industry car advertising ‘may undermine the effectiveness of the Irish Government’s communications strategy in favour of sustainable transport systems.’

In line with these recommendations, a commitment to conduct a review of car advertising and labelling has been included in the Transport chapters of Climate Action Plans 2023 and 2024 as well as in the Draft Implementation Plan of the Moving Together strategy. I have asked my Department to expedite work to develop proposals for regulating certain elements of car advertising, through on-going consultation with experts and key stakeholders in this field, alongside a suite of supporting public engagement and communication measures.