David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

This is a very substantial series of amendments. The first refers to fair dealing, the concept that someone is allowed to use material without infringing copyright for certain purposes, covers public lectures and educational establishments, format shifting for private use, in other words taking it from one medium to another, for example, from a computer to a mobile phone and very importantly, back-up copies. Surely to goodness we should be encouraging people to make back-up copies so that material will not be permanently lost to the archive.

Amendment No. 13 establishes the right to fair compensation and establishes mechanisms whereby the fair compensation can be achieved. There should be levies to fund the right to fair compensation and that copyright owners have established the right to compensation. There is a great deal of information in this. It is a very complex, highly technical matter. We have discussed it with the departmental officials.

Will the Minister of State respond to issues such as the use of back-up copies? It is extremely important that people should be encouraged to make them.