Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 19 Feb 1930

Vol. 33 No. 4

In Committee on Finance. - Vote 61—Industrial and Commercial Property Registration Office.

Minister for Industry and Commerce (Mr. McGilligan)

I move:—

Go ndeontar suim bhreise ná raghaidh thar £2,745 chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1930, chun Tuarastail agus Costaisí na hOifige Clárathachta Maoine Tionnscail agus Tráchtála (Uimh. 16 de 1927 agus Uimh. 13 de 1929).

That a supplementary sum not exceeding £2,745 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1930, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Industrial and Commercial Property Registration Office (No. 16 of 1927 and No. 13 of 1929).

The main item in this is under the heading of salaries. There is an increase in the small sub-head due to the fact that there was an increased volume of work in the Patents Office which did not make it possible to reduce the staff as had been intended. Where a decrease had been thought possible it was on the clerical side. But corresponding with this an extra amount of work had fallen on the Patent Office, part of it due to the taking up of work that had not been done in the completest way in the early years and part due to new work. That, of course, results in extra fees coming into the office. They are not shown here, but go into the general exchequer receipts.

Mr. Lemass

When the Industrial and Commercial Property Act, 1927, was passed it was provided that the qualification for registration as a patent agent was residence, and the residence or the establishment of a place of business in Saorstát Eireann. It was found that a number of British patent agents came over taking advantage of that Act, and established letter-box addresses. That qualified them to be placed on the register of patent agents. To prevent that abuse the Minister introduced an amending Act last year which provided that the qualification for registration should be that the person both resided and had a place of business in Saorstát Eireann. Under the Act that new qualification came into operation on the 18th August, 1929. It has been stated to me that it has, however, not been enforced by the office.

I would be glad if the Minister can give us any information in that connection. A person who has examined the register of patents on two occasions told me that on August 24th he found that there was twenty-four British agents on the Free State register comprising ten firms. On February 3rd this year he found there were eleven British agents registered in the Saorstát comprising seven firms and of the seven firms it is known amongst people who are engaged in this class of work that five of them definitely do not reside in the Saorstát. There may be some difficulty in securing an immediate compliance with the terms of the Act but I will be glad to get an assurance from the Minister that the failure to comply heretofore has been due to such difficulty and not to any desire on the part of the officers of the office to avoid putting Section 7 of the 1929 Act into operation. It has also been rumoured in the city that the Government proposes to dispense in the near future with the qualifying examination. I would be glad to be assured by the Minister that in that matter as in others rumour speaks with a lying tongue.

Mr. McGilligan

So far as I know the Act has been administered and no people are going to be allowed on who do not comply with the provisions of the Act. People got certain certificates the date for renewal of which has not yet come. As far as the other thing is concerned I have not even heard the rumour and there certainly is nothing in it.

Vote put and agreed to.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

It is not proposed to take Vote 62—Posts and Telegraphs. I understand that it is to be withdrawn and is to be reissued in a revised form.