Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 December 2020
327. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the regulations or legislation governing the area of advertising to children foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar on television, social media and other forms of media. [44513/20]
View answerThe regulation of broadcast commercial communications aimed at children is the responsibility of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) as set out under section 42 of the Broadcasting Act 2009.
As part of its responsibility in this regard, the BAI has established the Children's Commercial Communications Code which has been in existence since 2005 and has been updated on two occasions since then. The Code sets out the rules regarding broadcast commercial communications activity aimed at children and covers matters including the advertising, sponsorship and product placement of foods that are high in fat, sugar and/or salt. BAI recently submitted their latest review of the Children's Commercial Communications Code to the Department and this report will be laid shortly before the Houses of the Oireachtas in line with the provisions set out in section 45(4) of the Broadcasting Act 2009.
In relation to non-broadcast media, in 2017 the Department of Health, in collaboration with the relevant sectors, led the establishment of Voluntary Codes of Practice for Non-Broadcast Media Advertising and Marketing of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, including Sponsorship and Retail Product Placement. These Codes of Practice apply to non-broadcast media (digital, out of home, print, cinema), commercial sponsorship and retail product placement in the Republic of Ireland. One of the key objectives of these codes is to reduce the exposure of children in Ireland to marketing initiatives relating to foods that are high in fat, sugar and-or salt.
