Car adverts should have similar regulations to alcohol and tobacco, one Green Party TD has suggested.
Brian Leddin, who chairs the Oireachtas Climate Committee, said Ireland could implement carbon labels for cars, similar to plans in France.
He told Lunchtime Live we need to have a conversation around the impact of advertising on consumer decisions.
"We know that advertising works - that's the whole point of it - to influence consumers in purchasing decisions," he said.
"When it comes to climate action, it's so important, we have to do so much to cut our emissions by more than 50% by 2030.
"There has to be a conversation about the influence of advertising on climate action and on consumer decisions".
'Starting a conversation'
Deputy Leddin said adverts should be clearer.
"Most people want to make the right decisions, but what advertising can often do is lead to some confusion about what the right thing to do is," he said.
"It really is about starting a conversation and it hasn't happened".
"We have advertising regulations already in the area of tobacco and alcohol as well.
"We do that for very good reasons, because we recognise that there's a greater public good in having that regulation.
"Climate action is so important that we should be looking at how advertising influences people".
'A car is a necessity'
Completecar.ie Editor Shane O'Donoghue told the show this would be hard to justify.
"I think it's a really unusual thing to do; for a lot of people, a car is a necessity," he said.
"Sure, advertising makes it look glossy and sexy - but for most people it is a tool, it is way of getting about.
"In fact until we have a good enough public transport system in this country, it is a necessity.
"A lot of people don't have alternatives".
'Anti-car agenda'
Mr O'Donoghue said he believes this call is actually out-of-date.
"The vast majority of car advertising that's going on right now surrounds much greener cars than ever," he said.
"There's a huge amount of advertising around electric cars and hybrid cars.
"I just think it's completely unnecessary to be honest.
"To align cars with damaging substances like tobacco it just kind of shows again there's a real anti-car agenda in the Green Party.
"[This] isn't in line with the population, because the population need their cars," he added.
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