asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will take steps to control the copyright fees charged, and profits made thereon, by a society with headquarters in London in respect of performances of dance music, etc., in this country.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dance Music Copyright Fees.
I think the Deputy is under a misapprehension about the position of the Performing Rights Society, which presumably is the society to which he refers. It is a nonprofit making organisation of composers, authors and music publishers, and its function is to maintain and safeguard the copyrights of its members. The Deputy will appreciate that copyright is a property and that the owners of copyrights are entitled to be paid for the use of the works of which they hold a copyright, and that it is open to them at any time to withhold permission to use those works. The answer to the Deputy's question is in the negative.