Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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70. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will support a ban on fossil fuel advertising and sponsorship, including in relation to RTÉ; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41405/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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While I would, in principle, support such a ban, advertising standards do not fall within the remit of my Department.

Nonetheless, the Government has taken strong action to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. On my appointment as Minister, my Department ceased accepting new applications for exploration licences for natural gas or oil, nor will there be any future licensing rounds. A Policy Statement on Petroleum Exploration and Production in Ireland was published in August 2022 reflecting the current policy and legislative position of the Government on Petroleum Exploration and Production. Recent legislative amendments made to the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act 1960 through the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 have placed this commitment on a statutory basis.

Furthermore, work is ongoing to end the issuing of prospecting licences, mining licenses or leases for coal, lignite and oil shale through the relevant provisions of the Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 to be commenced soon.

More generally, work is continuing to end our reliance on fossils fuels through the development of renewable and sustainable energy sources.

As a Government, we are undertaking public communications work, including advertising, explaining the value of collective and individual action to reduce fossil fuel use and reduce climate impacts of human activities. Unfortunately, both in Ireland and globally, the large scale of fossil fuel advertising dwarfs this climate-oriented advertising and communications. I welcome the recent discussion at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Environment, Climate and Communications, and the comments from the UN Secretary General, António Guterres earlier this year. We can learn from experience in Ireland and globally with the control of advertising of substances impacting on public health such as tobacco, as well as from more recent steps to control advertising of fossil fuels in France and in various cities.