British TV services like Sky, Nickelodeon and MTV will not be covered by a new code which heavily restricts advertising aimed at children.
The code, published by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) yesterday, is the most serious attempt yet to restrict advertising which encourages fast food and unhealthy lifestyles.
However the chairman of the BCI, Mr Conor Maguire SC, admitted it would only apply to RTÉ 1, Network 2, TV3 and TG4, as well as commercial radio stations.
This drew an angry reaction from the business lobby group IBEC, which claimed that domestic broadcasters would be damaged.
"People will be forced to pay more for their television licence because of the drop in advertising revenue to domestic broadcasters," claimed Mr Ciarán Fitzgerald, of IBEC's food and drink industry group.
However, Mr Maguire and BCI chief executive, Mr Michael O'Keeffe, pointed out that British stations were regulated by the authorities there.
A new group of parents and children, Stop TV Advertising at Children (STAC), has been set up to lobby for a complete ban on children's advertising. Its spokesman Mr Brian MacGabhann dismissed the argument about British stations.
"Just because you cannot regulate everyone is no argument for not regulating anyone," he said. The children's advertising code will prohibit personalities promoting food or drink products unless the advert is part of a public health or education campaign. Asked would the Walkers crisps advert, fronted by former English footballer Gary Lineker, be banned under the code, Mr O'Keeffe said it would.
The code, which is subject to a final consultation period, states that advertising which encourages an unhealthy lifestyle or unhealthy eating should be discouraged.
Mr Maguire said the BCI was not getting into an examination of which food was healthy and which food was not. Instead, the organisation was responding to views expressed in over 560 responses.
At the announcement of the code several speakers expressed dissatisfaction that the code did not include a complete ban. But Mr O'Keeffe said a wide range of views had to be reflected. Advertising industry representatives have yet to give their official reaction to the code, although initial reactions were negative. Commercial stations like TV3 are concerned that children's advertising will simply be diverted away from Irish broadcasters towards British-based rivals like Sky and Nickelodeon.
The code, while introducing a range of restrictions, makes it clear that parental responsibility remains highly important.
"Parents and guardians have primary responsibility for children but advertisers should support the parents/child relationship by scheduling responsibly and by not undermining the authority, responsibility or judgment of parents or guardians in the content of an advertisement," the code states.
A theme running through the various submissions was the pressure put on parents by children to buy certain items. Often described as "pester power" this pressure can become intense in the months before Christmas.
Under the code "Christmas themed advertising" cannot be broadcast prior to November 1st. "Christmas themed advertising refers to advertising that contains references, either visual or acoustic, to Christmas," states the code.
The BCI will now circulate the consultation document to key groups and interested parties. An advertisement will also be placed in the national press this week seeking views of the general public.
After going through these submissions the code may be altered slightly.