Copyright and Related Rights (Amendment) Bill 2025: Report and Final Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-03-04
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Niamh Smyth (FF), Cavan-Monaghan

I thank Senator Black and Members of Dáil and Seanad, in particular members of the Select Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, for their co-operation and robust engagement on the Bill. As I have said throughout this process, it is imperative that this legislation be enacted. While only a short Bill, it introduces necessary amendments to the Copyright and Related Rights Act, as amended, following a Court of Justice of the European Union ruling delivered in September 2020. In light of Ireland's forthcoming Presidency of the Council of the EU, ensuring consistency of our national copyright legislation with EU law has taken on added significance.
As has been discussed previously, while we appreciate the potential negative impact this Bill may have on royalty payments to the music sector in Ireland and the wider European Economic Area, EEA, Ireland cannot unilaterally legislate to withhold royalties from countries that do not provide for these within national law, given the Court of Justice ruling on this matter of EU competency. We understand that the European Commission is actively considering this matter with a view to proposing legislation in 2027.
I would like to thank the Minister, Deputy Burke, and the Ministers of State, Deputies Dillon and O'Sullivan, who aided the passage of this Bill through the legislative process. I would like to take the opportunity to thank officials in the Department. I sincerely believe - I can stand corrected - that there has been engagement between RAAP and officials in the Department, perhaps long before my time as well.
I am happy to sit down with the Senator at a later time to discuss the review.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-03-04/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:43+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-03-04