The Irish government is to change the rules on Internet downloading after record companies threatened they might pursue legal action if fixes weren’t made.
The changes are intended to curb the illegal downloading of music and movies, which is apparently easier to do in Ireland then it is in other countries.
Authorities are looking to plug a loophole in the Republic’s law that allows Irish Internet users to access sites that ‘pirate’ illegal material.
The Minister of State for Enterprise, Sean Sherlock, is to publish an order early in the new year that is expected to allow music publishers, film producers and other parties to go to court to prevent Internet service providers from allowing their customers access to ‘pirate’ websites, reports the Irish Times.
Record label EMI Ireland recently wrote to the Irish Government warning that it would take legal action against the State if the Government did not address the loophole.
The changing of the law could not come at a better time for the music industry (apart from the fact that it’s not being changed before Christmas) as downloading, both legal and illegal content, has cut into CD sales hugely.
The Irish Times reports that CD sales in the Republic fell from €146 million in 2006 to just €56 million last year.
Well, at least all those musical millionaires wont be getting stiffed anymore.
