AI law and copyright reform part of Irish legislative agenda

The Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill is one of more than 100 pieces of legislation included in the government’s spring 2025 legislative programme.

Details of what will be contained in the Bill are light, but according to the legislative programme, the Bill will designate the regulators, or ‘national competent authorities’, responsible for implementing and enforcing the EU AI Act in Ireland, as well as provide for penalties organisations could face for non-compliance. The 'Heads of Bill' are currently being prepared.

Dublin-based Maureen Daly of Pinsent Masons said that when the draft bill is published, it will be scrutinised by businesses and other stakeholders in Ireland and beyond.

“Whatever national framework is adopted, it is certain to have implications for businesses – especially the many international companies that are based in Ireland,” she said.

Among the Bills earmarked for priority publication this spring is the Copyright and Related Rights (Amendment) Bill. This Bill will bring about amendments to Ireland’s Copyright Act so that the law accords with a judgment of the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) from September 2020 and the subsequent ruling of the High Court in Ireland in February 2021.

Daly said: “The CJEU held that EU copyright law must be interpreted in a manner consistent with the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty 1996 (WPPT). This meant that the right to equitable remuneration under the EU Directive No. 2006/115 must be granted both to performers and phonogram producers who are nationals of member states of the EU and to those who are nationals of other contracting parties to the WPPT.”

“Under Irish copyright law as it stands, a performer is not entitled to share in the equitable remuneration unless they are an Irish citizen or domiciled or resident in Ireland, or domiciled or resident in a country that is part of the European Economic Area. Ireland, in light of the CJEU ruling, has therefore failed to properly transpose the EU directive. The proposal to amend existing copyright law to address this deficiency will be welcomed by non-EEA performers and phonogram producers,” she said.