I do not think that this Bill will cause the Seanad any difficulty. It is probably known to Senators that the laws relating to the protection of patents, designs and trademarks, provide for certain periods of time in which certain things must be done or fees paid in order to maintain the protection of the law. If these things are not done, the rights enjoyed under the law become void. During the war, because of the interruption of normal life caused by the war, a number of owners of patents, designs and trademarks, were unable to fulfil the requirements of the law in order to maintain their industrial property. The same thing happened after the first world war and there was then an international agreement to remedy that situation. Similarly, after the late war, there was a meeting of the International Union, summoned by the Government of Switzerland, which prepared an agreement providing for the extension of periods of time in which rights could be restored, which agreement was ratified by 24 countries which attended the conference, by two other countries since and which is likely to be ratified by more.
The purpose of this Bill is to give effect to that agreement in our law. It is desirable that it should be passed in this session because the date to which certain periods of time are to be extended is the 30th of June next. Clearly it is desirable to give ample facilities to those who desire to take advantage of this Bill to restore their rights. The sole purpose of the Bill is to give effect to the Neuchatel Agreement.
