Seanad debates

Wednesday, 5 February 2003

Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill 2002: Second Stage.

 

Our job is to move from just finding out and discovering new things to making sure that they are made here in the future. I agree with one of the points Senator Minihan raised, that is, the protection of intellectual property rights. Perhaps the patent laws need to be looked at in terms of timescale. However, giving software copyright protection for 70 years is one of the single biggest inhibitions to real innovation. It was illogical at the time and it is more illogical now. To treat software as if it was creative writing is nothing more than a protection for the dominant corporation which dominates the world software market. It was the wrong decision to make and it should be reviewed.

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