Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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The international Agreement on the Unified Patent Court, signed in February 2013, entails the establishment of an international court that will, when operational, have exclusive competence for actions for infringement and validity in respect of European patents. As the international Agreement entails the transfer of jurisdictional powers in this area of jurisdiction away from the Irish courts, this runs counter to the provisions of the Irish constitution. Therefore, in order for Ireland to ratify the international Agreement, a constitutional referendum must be carried. The timing of a referendum will be a matter for Government to decide and my Department will engage with other relevant Departments, including the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in relation to the referendum process.