Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 December 2013
144. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will confirm, having received a copy of the report prepared by the copyright review committee, which he established in 2011 that he has assessed the recommendations therein, including the draft Bill attached thereto; when he proposes to bring forward appropriate legislation to implement the said recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51953/13]
View answerA Report entitled “Modernising Copyright” compiled by the independent Copyright Review Committee comprising Dr Eoin O’Dell of Trinity College, Professor Steve Hedley of University College Cork and Ms Patricia McGovern of DFMG Solicitors was published on 29 October 2013 last. The Report followed from the establishment in May 2011 of the Copyright Review Committee to examine current Irish copyright legislation to identify any areas that might be perceived as creating barriers to innovation and to make recommendations as to how these barriers might be overcome through changes to legislation. The Report, published by the Copyright Review Committee, involved an extensive consultation process by the Committee, and contains in excess of 60 recommendations covering a diverse range of copyright issues. My Department is currently engaged in conducting a detailed analysis of the recommendations in the Report which I expect will take until early 2014 to complete. I would hope thereafter, to be in a position to bring the results of our examination to Government with recommendations, including in relation to proposed legislative amendments.
As part of our initial examination of the Report’s recommendations, I am very interested in hearing the views of all interested parties so that, as a first step, my Department has arranged for the convening of a public Forum at which the members of the Copyright Review Committee will be present to present on the Report and to respond to issues arising. This Forum is being held in the Royal Irish Academy on 9 December next and registration for the Forum can be completed on my Department’s website at www.djei.ie.
In Ireland, as in many countries throughout the world, there has been a growing recognition of the need to ensure that copyright legislation remains fit for purpose in the digital age and the specific challenges that it presents. This is also an issue on which the EU is currently deliberating and I understand that a consultation by the European Commission on copyright is imminent.
