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Dáil
‹ Questions on Promised Legislation

Online election advertising rules

Summary

Deputy Ryan asked about legislation to regulate digital election advertising after Google and Facebook restricted ads. The Minister said his Department and Communications were examining what changes might be needed before the next election or referendum.

Like earlier speakers, I welcome the decision by Google and Facebook to restrict advertising. Each company is doing it a different way and, as the Taoiseach stated earlier, while it is too late, it is still welcome that it is being done. It is clear these companies are making these decisions because there is a legislative gap in that our electoral Acts do not set out in clear terms what the rules are around electronic and digital advertising in comparison to some of the other regulations we have put in place. On that basis, does the Government plan to introduce legislation which will set out what the rules could and should be? Will Fine Gael lead the way? I believe that, to date, the Government has refused to answer the question I asked a number of months ago as to what each party here spends on Facebook advertising, in a spirit of transparency and honesty regarding political advertising, of which we are all in support. Will the Government provide those figures and will it legislate to regulate online advertising in political elections and referendums?

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Eoghan Murphy Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Fine Gael

I thank the Deputy. We had discussed this at a previous meeting of the Government in regard to what potential new changes have to be brought in to take into account new ways of advertising and of promoting oneself in public life in regard to elections and referendums. My Department and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, under the Minister, Deputy Naughten, are both responsible in this area. We are looking at what future changes may be needed in advance of another general election or referendum and that work continues between our two Departments.

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