Independent TD Michael Collins has called on Dublin Bus management to “immediately remove” advertising imagery sponsored by vegan campaigners across a number of its buses and stops across the county.
The posters, which have been erected on 120 buses and billboards nationwide, are part of Go Vegan World’s 2023 campaign for Ireland.
They promote a vegan lifestyle and carry various statements including “dairy takes babies from their mothers” and “it’s not a personal choice when someone is killed”.
However, these posters and advertisements have been labelled “highly misleading and toxic” by Deputy Collins, who said they “state that Irish agriculture is the single worst offender in terms of greenhouse gases and that only a diet free of animal products can be the solution to this”.
The Cork South-West TD said that by carrying these posters “Dublin Bus is enabling the thrashing of Irish agriculture for paltry advertising revenue”.
He added that the state-owned transport company is sending a contradicting message to other state-owned companies such as Bord Bia, which promotes Irish farming and food.
“This fanatical, absurd and context-free advertising promotes a highly damaging narrative.
“[It] completely neglects to present the overwhelming environmental benefits that Irish farmers and Irish agriculture bring to the cultivation and nourishing of our land,” the deputy added.
In a statement to Agriland on the matter, Dublin Bus said:
“Exterion Media manage and operate the advertising formats owned by Córas Iompair Éireann (CIE), including CIÉ’s Group Companies (Bus Eireann, Dublin Bus, and Irish Rail).
“These advertising formats are available to all brands, businesses and organisations.
“Commercial advertising and marketing communications in Ireland are subject to the rules and guidelines as set out in the Code of Standards for Advertising and Marketing Communications in Ireland, as published and administered by the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland.”
Deputy Collins stated that he will be calling on Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue to intervene on the matter, “which is under his department’s remit”.
“We cannot have the good work that Bord Bia and the various agri-sectors do in terms of promotion undermined by a series of nonsensical posters on Dublin Bus that demonise an entire way of life for a few paltry euros in advertising fees,” he concluded.