IRMA praises High Court verdict

This High Court action comes after 15 months of educational initiatives to raise awareness of the cultural and economic damage done by illegal file sharing.
Abuse of copyright on the Internet has contributed to a €28 million drop in music sales in Ireland between 2001 and 2004.
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”.
The 17 names will be passed over to Dick Doyle and his organisation at 4pm this Friday.
Doyle explained to Hot Press today what he would be outlining in his correspondence with the individuals involved in serial file-sharing of music.
“The settlement terms will obviously include paying damages to us, number one," he said.
"Number two will involve having to clean up their PC’s, getting rid of all our copyright material on it, and dis-enabling the shared software packages.
"Plus, an undertaking not to engage in this illegal activity again," he concluded.
Dick Doyle also believes that musicians themselves are strongly behind the High Court decision.
“The RAP Association (Recorded Artists And Performers) actually sat on the podium with us, and fully support the action we’re taking,” he explained.
“The representatives of the artists’ Association are fully behind us.”