Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)

Sections 8 and 12, as amended on Committee Stage, provide an exemption for educational establishments from the provisions for public lending. This exemption provides continuity because educational establishments were already exempt under the 2000 Act. It is necessary to ensure that our schools, colleges and universities continue as rich sources of learning and research unfettered by any requirement to observe public lending rights. The amendments proposed appear to attempt to qualify the exemption and involve the responsible Minister in prescribing conditions under which such establishments can lend books. Any such qualification is unnecessary, hence I do not propose to accept these amendments.