Irish File-Sharing Crackdown Pays Dividends

by Jason Gorringe, for LawAndTax-News.com, London

10 August 2005

The Irish Recorded Music Association announced last week that the legal proceedings brought against what it dubbed "serial offenders" within the peer-to-peer music sharing world have begun to pay dividends.

In July of this year, the High Court ruled to compel a number of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to release the names of 17 individuals engaged in serial file-sharing of music.

Speaking after the decision, Dick Doyle, Director General of IRMA commented:

"We will now be writing to the 17 individuals informing them of the seriousness of their actions. We will offer them the opportunity of settling the action. If they refuse our settlement terms, we will be forced to pursue the matter through the Courts. This is a last resort for the music industry. We hope that this decision will jolt others, particularly parents of teenagers, to realise that unauthorised file-sharing is illegal and has consequences."

According to the IRMA, eight of those targeted have so far admitted liability and paid damages of between 2,000 and 6,000 euros to settle their cases.

Mr Doyle reportedly revealed on RTE state radio that among those that had chosen to avoid court action were parents who were not aware of their childrens' file-sharing activities and a company which was unaware that an employee was utilising its computer system for the same purpose.

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