Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)

I deputise for Deputy Willie Penrose, who took the Bill on behalf of the Labour Party. The area of copyright and intellectual property is complicated and it was very necessary that this piece of legislation be enacted as quickly as possible. I thank the Minister of State and the staff in his Department, the Bills Office and the Whips' Office because complicated pieces of legislation are never easy and take a degree of time to put together, which we all know.

As a result of the measure's urgency, the co-operation of everyone was very important. It will give a degree of comfort to people relying on the legislation for protection. Although we sometimes cannot physically put our hands on something, it can nevertheless be someone's property. This piece of legislation will ensure that protection will be given to people operating in this area. I am very glad to see the legislation going through and I thank the Minister for his courtesy.

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