A Clarion Call for Copyright Reform – Sherlock [Video]

The Minister of State for Research and Innovation, Sean Sherlock TD, has said that he intends to act on the recommendations of the report of the Copyright Review Committee, and that he and Minister Richard Bruton hope to bring proposals for copyright reform to the government in 2014. “I can assure you that it is not our intention that the report will languish”, he said.

Mr Sherlock was speaking at the Public Forum on the Report of the Copyright Review Committee, which was held last night at the Royal Irish Academy in Dawson Street, Dublin. Over 100 people attended, representing various viewpoints on copyright and intellectual property, as the report’s authors – Dr Eoin O’Dell, Ms Patricia McGovern  and Professor Steve Hedley – outlined the main points of the report and the rationale for its recommendations. Afterwards, the matter was opened to the floor for a discussion chaired by the president of the RIA, Professor Luke Drury.

Mr Sherlock referred to the recent publication of a consultation document by the European Commision, and said that copyright reform is firmly on the agenda in many jurisdictions:

In essence there is a clarion call: that copyright reform is needed to meet the requirements of the digital age, and that this is urgent. However, this must be carefully balanced against the need for rights holders to reap the just rewards from their creative efforts.

Minister Sherlock’s speech is in the video above, and he is introduced by Professor Drury. Videos of the other speakers will feature over the next few days here on Technology.ie.

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