Mary Lou McDonald
Ceist:22 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the target set by him for the increase in patents submitted by Irish companies. [27315/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 7 June 2012
Ceisteanna (24, 25)
Mary Lou McDonald
Ceist:29 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the actions taken by him and agencies to increase the number of patents submitted by Irish companies in the coming year. [27316/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 29 together.
My Department, through the Patents Office, Enterprise Ireland and the County Enterprise Boards offer a range of supports to assist and enable entrepreneurs and enterprises to exploit the value of Intellectual Property (IP) and to engage in the optimal exploitation of research and development, and specifically in applying for patents.
Reflecting Enterprise Ireland's enterprise development mission, the agency supports companies to be more competitive through innovation. An output from this can be the creation of patented Intellectual Property (IP), however, measuring the resultant number of patent applications is not an effective metric to assess the output from these supports. This is because there are many alternative and often more appropriate ways for companies to capture and exploit their intellectual property. For example, in the software sector patenting may be prohibited by patent law, therefore, copyright is a more common means of securing a company's intellectual assets. Enterprise Ireland therefore does not set targets for the number of patents filed or for increases in the number of patents filed by its client companies. Enterprise Ireland's focus is on supporting businesses to be innovative and where this produces IP, the business is supported to use the most appropriate process to protect it, which can include patenting.
Intellectual Property supports are integrated with the broader range of innovation supports provided by EI. Under the R&D Fund companies, including HPSUs, can receive support for the costs of the early stages of patenting. However, companies may determine that patenting is not the optimal means of protecting any new Intellectual Property and may rely, instead, on copyright, or non-disclosure and/or first mover advantage, depending on circumstances and sector.
Considering the diversity of needs that the client base represents Enterprise Ireland also provides a number of non-financial supports to help companies to make the best Intellectual Property protection decisions based on their specific situation. In some circumstances the most effective way for a company to secure key IP (including patents) is not to develop it themselves but rather to licence or acquire it from another company or college. Enterprise Ireland's Technology Transfer Executives working with the Enterprise Europe Network provide access to IP from a range of sources and support companies to transfer targeted IP into their companies.
In terms of building the capability of Irish companies a joint exercise between Enterprise Ireland (with the Enterprise-Europe Network) and the Irish Patent Office ran a very successful campaign of events, under the heading "Building a Business on your ideas". With support from the County Enterprise Boards and Institutes of Technology this initiative addressed an Innovation Task Force recommendation that, "An understanding of the importance of IP, its value and commercial potential should be strongly cultivated in the business community and Irish society at large".
Recently Enterprise Ireland appointed an Intellectual Property Manager to strengthen the agency's resources dedicated to the promotion and use of intellectual property.
In addition, the Patents Office provides a range of information supports to prospective patent applicants through the Office's websitewww.patentsoffice.ie including a detailed Patent Application Guide for applicants who wish to file a patent application without using the services of a patent agent. To reduce patenting costs for applicants for Irish 20 year patents, the statutory fee for the search which is required in order to establish novelty and non-obviousness has been reduced from €361 to €200.
The report of the IP Implementation Group is due to be published very shortly which will spell out a new national protocol aimed at encouraging the transfer of more IP into Irish companies from the third level sector. Enterprise Ireland will play a central role in the implementation of the recommendations contained in the report.
I am satisfied that national supports directed at Irish companies engaged in research, development and innovation will continue to result in new inventions that are patented adding further to economic growth and development.