Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

This raises the question of private institutions and educational establishments. The Houses of the Oireachtas have an excellent library. Would this be defined as an educational or a public library? It is a type of private club but Members of the Oireachtas are elected representatives, even though they are the only people entitled to take out books on loan. Will such libraries be governed by this Bill?

I refer to the library of the RDS, which is one of the finest libraries in the city of Dublin. It was established before these Houses and its books are very valuable. Will that library's copyright rights or charges be covered by the Government? It would be difficult for the RDS to continue lending books from its library if it were required to pay copyright to authors. I note the excellent university libraries and school libraries are covered by the Department of Education and Science, but I await the Minister of State's view on the case of private libraries such as the RDS lending books to the public.