The Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) has said that it cannot rule on a complaint made by the IFA about a Go Vegan World advertisement because it can only deal with complaints about commercial advertisements.

The advertisement claimed that “Eating animal goods contributes more to climate change than transport”.

The ASAI said the advertisement was intended to influence opinion and was “outside the jurisdiction of the ASAI”.

IFA president Joe Healy said that its refusal to adjudicate means that such adverts are “completely unregulated”.

“It’s clear that any sort of organisation can make claims without any oversight whatsoever,” he said.

He called on Minister for Communications Richard Bruton to intervene to establish an oversight body that would not shy away from decisions.