Vol. 490 No. 2
77 Mr. Hayes asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position of her Department on Northern Ireland companies using Irish identification and symbols for sale and distribution of their products; whether this view was ever transmitted to relevant agencies involved in the promotion of all Irish produce; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10021/98]
The harp and shamrock are national emblems, the use of which is reserved by law to the State. This reservation is provided for by section 97 of the Trade Marks Act, 1996, and by the notification of the emblems under the terms of Article 6 of the Paris Convention for the protection of industrial property, which prohibits the unauthorised use of national marks and emblems in Paris Convention countries generally.
Individual requests for permission to make use of reserved State emblems are considered by my Department on their merits. However, it has at no time been the practice to permit these emblems to be used in connection with the marketing of goods originating outside the State. I understand that State agencies with an interest in the area of international trade are aware of the position.
