Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the Chamber to discuss this very important Bill. I will begin with a quote from Robin Sharma: "Passion plus production equals performance". I also love the quote from Steve Martin where he says, "Talking about music is like dancing about architecture". I am glad to get the opportunity to speak on the Bill. It is legislation that marks an important step forward in supporting creators' performance and rights holders across Ireland.

Copyright is really about fair recognition and fair reward. This Bill recognises that the world of creative work and intellectual property is changing very quickly. It ensures that Ireland's copyright law is compliant with our international and European legal obligations. A key positive in this Bill is that it strengthens equitable remuneration for performers and producers of sound recordings. It clarifies how moneys earned from the use of recordings should be shared. This Bill is necessary because Irish copyright law was found to be defective by the CJEU in a judgment in 2020. Ireland should enact this Bill without delay to ensure that our law is compliant with EU and international obligations, particularly as our EU Presidency approaches.

The scope of the Bill is very narrow. It is a short and targeted Bill. It is responding to matters raised in this case. The scope of the Bill was agreed by a Government decision. I welcome the Bill for a number of reasons. It corrects outdated parts of Irish copyright law. These changes help to ensure that performers have the legal protections and rights that Ireland is obliged to provide under EU and global law. It brings Irish law into proper alignment with EU directives and international treaties. It strengthens our cultural economy and reduces legal uncertainty, which is again very important. It honours creators by giving them a clearer and fairer way to share in the rewards that art generates. Under the proposed changes, the law will start from a presumption of a 50-50 split of the revenues between performers and producers unless an alternative is agreed, and it provides a fair dispute process if they cannot agree. This is designed to make sure performers get a fair share of income from users of their recordings.

Historically, some performers have been required to sign buyout contracts that give away their rights. These contracts can leave performers without ongoing payments even when the work continues to earn money. This Bill seeks to address that imbalance by giving performers the legal right to retain moneys that they rightly earn. As Irish director Dearbhla Walsh said when talking about the film industry, "I think Ireland is having a moment." She was referring to the film and TV sector in Ireland, which is set to contribute more than €1 billion to the economy annually and supports the equivalent of 10,000 full-time jobs. The growth of the Irish film industry has been attributed to three decades of sustained investment, support and training, along with generous tax incentives.This Bill, similarly, supports Ireland's vibrant arts, music and creative sectors ensuring that performers and producers are better protected and rewarded. It is important to recognise how these laws affect real artists. There are rapid technological changes affecting copyright today, especially developments in AI and digital platforms that create and disseminate content in ways that were unimaginable just a decade ago. Some creators feel that further reform is needed to make sure large digital platforms and AI systems respect their rights consistently and that our laws provide clear mechanisms for enforcement and transparency. However, right now this Bill represents meaningful progress. It honours creative labour, brings our laws into harmony with international standards and strengthens Ireland's place as a home for creators and culture.