No hard-and-fast rules

There are no hard-and-fast rules in this State about advertising in schools. The Department of Education and Science has, however, issued official circulars concerning the promotion and marketing of commercial products through schools.

These are meant to impress on school authorities the need to "consider carefully the implication of allowing situations to develop which would result in parents being put under undue pressure to purchase particular commercial products.

"The co-operation of school authorities is requested in taking steps to eliminate any undesirable practices in this regard and in formulating agreed school policies in relation to commercial promotions." The teacher unions and the National Parents' Council echo these concerns.

On the other side of the bargain, there are also rules, sort of, for advertisers who seek to promote their products to children. The advertising industry is self-regulated and the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (www.asai.ie) has a regulatory code.

These rules apply to all advertising, not just ads that are displayed in schools. According to the code: "an advertisement should not exploit the loyalty, vulnerability or lack of experience of children. They should not be made to feel inferior or unpopular for not buying the advertised product. They should not be made to feel that they are lacking in courage, duty or loyalty if they do not buy or do not encourage others to buy a particular product.

"They should not be encouraged to make a nuisance of themselves to parents or others with the aim of persuading them to buy the advertised product."