Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It would have been nice to have fitted it in this year. I know this committee has had an active role in pursuing the matter. I think the Government has made the right decision in this area. We will have a local division of that as well. I think that has satisfied most of the concerns that were expressed at this committee over the years. The referendum has to be passed by the third quarter of 2016. I would imagine at this stage that we will possibly see a referendum sometime in 2016. It does not look to be on the agenda for this year because I think people are fatigued in that area. I think it has to be passed by the autumn of 2016 at the latest. It is an important one for the country. This committee will have a role in it because it has been involved from an early stage. Some of these referendums do not catch the imagination of the public even though they are important. This referendum will be important because it will make it much easier for Irish inventors, scientists and researchers and other companies to get involved in this market and to get patents. It will make it much more affordable for new emerging players in this area. I think it will be important for this one to be passed. We will engage with the committee on it closer to the time if that is okay.