'BAN JUNK FOOD ADS TIL 9PM' By PAT FLANAGAN.

ADVERTS for junk food should be banned from TV at times when children are watching, campaigners said yesterday.

The Children's Rights Alliance claimed Communications Minister Eamon Ryan must act now to protect youngsters from being bombarded with commercials promoting burgers and fizzy drinks.

Alliance spokeswoman Jillian van Turnhout said: "It is vital that Minister Ryan and the Government remain committed to the Broadcasting Bill in order to protect children from inappropriate advertising and marketing.

Putting the health of children ahead of commercial interests and the food and advertising industries is the only way forward if we are to reverse the increasing levels of child obesity.

"We call for a ban on the advertising of junk food before the 9pm watershed as part of a wider strategy to tackle the growing levels of childhood obesity in Ireland"

Consumer Association, spokesman Dermot Jewell added: "Allowing unhealthy food to be regularly marketed to our children presents a direct threat to their well-being and instils in them seriously misguided and poor choice criteria that are potentially damaging to their future health and that of their children.

"We must change the attitude to, and support of, junk food production and sales."