asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the number of trade mark applications for registration in both Part A and Part B of the Register of Trade Marks, and the number of such applications which were refused in each year since 1950.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Trade Mark Applications.
27.
Separate figures are not available for each part of the Register in relation to acceptances and refusals of applications received in the Industrial and Commercial Property Registration Office for the registration of trade marks in the years mentioned in the Deputy's question. To extract the particulars required would involve considerable expenditure of staff time.
I can, however, give particulars of the total number of applications received in each of the financial years since 1950 together with, for the past four years, the total number of refusals. The figures for refusals include all cases to which objection to registration was taken and which were not pursued by the applicants. Earlier figures of refusals are not available.
The particulars are in the form of a tabular statement which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report.
|
Year ended 31st March |
Number of applications received in the year |
Number of applications refused in the year |
|
1950 |
907 |
— |
|
1951 |
845 |
— |
|
1952 |
920 |
— |
|
1953 |
919 |
— |
|
1954 |
1,067 |
— |
|
1955 |
1,013 |
— |
|
1956 |
1,208 |
— |
|
1957 |
1,045 |
— |
|
1958 |
1,058 |
— |
|
1959 |
1,155 |
92 |
|
1960 |
1,271 |
112 |
|
1961 |
1,383 |
163 |
|
1962 |
1,413 |
187 |
Is it not possible to give at least the number for the earlier years that were not proceeded with, whether by way of refusal or withdrawal?
I am afraid the only particulars I have here in this typed list refer to the number of applications received in the years 1950 to 1962 and the number of applications refused in the years 1959 to 1962.
Perhaps the Minister will get some further information before the Committee Stage of the Bill.
I think the Deputy has a question down for written answer and there is a little more information in that because my answer complies more with the form of the Deputy's question. I think it will give a little more information on the lines sought by the Deputy now.
Is the Minister aware that it is widely suggested that the number of refusals in recent years has multiplied as much as ten times as compared with ten years ago?
There seems to be an increase, but I can quote only for the past four years.
We will have that argument otherwise on another occasion.