Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 457: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the owner of the intellectual property rights in relation to the new automated passport system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29194/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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In the automated passport system, APS, there are a number of components which were developed specifically for the project. These include the developed software; the source code of the developed software; and specific aspects of the design of the data page and booklet. The intellectual property rights for these components are vested in the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

In the APS, there are also other components which have been developed separately from, but have been integrated into, the project. It has not been possible to purchase the rights to these components outright. Payment, for instance, is made in respect of the components in the personalisation process. This process involves the laser engraving of details on the data page, together with the generation of an image of the photograph onto the passport by means of laser technology. The payment in question is based on the number of passports issued using this technology.