SwpatMepPositions

This page is for recording the positions of MEPs from Ireland (RoI & N.I.). First there's a table, then there's notes.

Info table

The "KDE.ie" column is the MEPs position according to http://www.kde.ie/patents/mep-status.php

The third column, "1", is whether they were an MEP during the 2003 pre-1st-reading campaigning.

Notes

For each statement, try to include a source for the information (a URL, or "According to an email I got from her in January 2005", or something). Please be as precise as possible, and try to quote word-for-word rather than interpret. And stick your name on it.

Allister, Jim

A colleague of BarryOdonovan received an e-mail on March 9, 2005 from Jim Allister on foot of the ILUG/IFSO/KDE e-mail campaign last March which stated:

"The Parliament to date has been quite sceptical about this proposal and thus I trust that it will again take a stance of opposition. Certainly, it is in that direction that my vote will lie in that I think the present proposal will stifle innovation and concentrate patents in the hands of big corporations."

Aylward, Liam

Coveney, Simon

Statement: http://www.kde.ie/patents/statements/coveney.php

Crowley, Brian

Like SMEs.

CiaranOriordan met Mr.Crowley http://mail.fsfeurope.org/pipermail/fsfe-ie/2005-April/001868.html

De Brún, Bairbre

Statement: http://www.kde.ie/patents/statements/marylou.php

The above statement also outlines Ms. De Brún's position according to an e-mail received by BarryOdonovan on March 9, 2005 from Ciaran Doherty of the Office of Mary Lou Mc Donald MEP which stated:

"I enclose for your information a letter from Mary Lou outlining the stance Sinn Fein's two MEP's have adopted on the issue of Software Patents."

CiaranOriordan: I met the swpat policy advisor for the Sinn Fein MEPs, and he said they'd be voting identically, and that Bairbre usually has more time for this issue than Mary Lou.

De Rossa, Proinsias

Mr De Rossa established his position as being against software patents during its first reading in the European Parliament. Correspondance between BarryOdonovan and a member of his staff during March 2005 confirm that his position is unchanged. A statment from Mr De Rossa relating to the first reading can be read at: http://www.derossa.com/asp/showdoc.asp?AREA=3&ID=522

His statement, confirming his continued anti-swpat stance, after the rejection of the directive at 2nd reading can be read here: http://www.derossa.com/asp/showdoc.asp?AREA=3&ID=1140

Doyle, Avril

Harkin, Marian

Higgins, Jim

In e-mail correspondance to BarryOdonovan (March 15, 2005), Mr Higgin's assistant confirmed his position as being:

"... Mr. Higgins shares your concerns regarding the Draft Directive and supports the position of many users, people within the industry and small software companies throughout Ireland - that is, to oppose the Directive by voting against it when it next comes before the European Parliament."

This was again reaffirmed in a letter received by BarryOdonovan on April 19, 2005.

McDonald, Mary Lou

Statement: http://www.kde.ie/patents/statements/marylou.php

(See De Brún above)

McGuinness, Mairead

CiaranOriordan met Ms. McGuinness: http://mail.fsfeurope.org/pipermail/fsfe-ie/2005-April/001867.html

Ian Clarke met Ms. McGuinness: http://mail.fsfeurope.org/pipermail/fsfe-ie/2005-May/001986.html

Mitchell, Gay

Mr Mitchell will support Simon Coveney's position as being against software patents as inidicated in e-mail correspondance recieved by BarryOdonovan on March 17, 2005:

"I can support Simon Coveney's position on this. He is the FG representative on the Committee of Parliament."

Nicholson, Jim

Ryan, Eoin

Sinnott, Kathy

In e-mail correspondance that was CC'd to BarryOdonovan (May 24, 2005), Ms Sinnott asserted her position as being:

"In response to your concerns about software patentability, I would like to reassure you that I am wholeheartedly opposed to this legislation. It will stifle innovation and prevent SME's and individuals from having the chance to compete equally with the Microsoft's of this world. You may rest assured that we will be fighting this directive (again)."

Ó Neachtain, Seán

CiaranOriordan spoke with Mr.Ó Neachtain by phone at the start of May 2005, he said "We'll be voting the free software people's way".