FIANNA FAIL TDs who act consultants to the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) have called on the organisation "think again" about pursuing primary schools for copyright licence fees.
Mr Eoin Ryan TD acknowledged there was "great public disquiet" about the IMRO's plans to force 3,200 primary schools to pay music royalties of more than £100 a year. "People clearly don't like the idea that schools should be charged on the same basis as radio stations and pubs. They should be looked at differently," he said.
Mr David Andrews TD, a legal consultant to the IMRO, said the issue should be re examined. "My colleague Michell Martin was right to raise the matter, but it should now be possible to come to an amicable agreement."
The Labour TD Mr Pat Gallagher called on Mr Martin to "speak directly" to his party colleagues who are paid advisers to the IMRO.
Mr Ryan and Mr Andrews listed their consultancy work for the IMRO in the recently published register of politicians' interests. The threshold income for inclusion on the register was £2,000 a year; both men said yesterday they received "more, but not much more, than £2,000 a year". A third Fianna Fail TD, Mr Noel Davern, also acts as a consultant for the IMRO, but was not available for comment.
Mr Ryan said he had "never done anything" for the IMRO in the Dail; the reason for his involvement with the organisation was probably because he was on the board of the Olympia Theatre, Dublin.
"Parents find it difficult enough to meet the costs of education, but we should also remembers the difficulties of composers, many of whom are literally living on the edge," said Mr Andrews, whose wife is a music teacher and examiner.
According to Mr Hugh Duffy, chief executive of the IMRO, a blanket deal for all primary schools would bring the cost, down to £20 a year for each school. However, after four years of talks with the Department of Education, the IMRO had been referred to the individual schools.
"We don't see why composers' of music should be the only people not to receive royalties for their work. At the moment, schools pay royalties for photocopying, books', even catechisms, so why should we be discriminated against?"
The Department last night declined to comment on the issue.
An IMRO board member, the musician Keith Donald, said songwriters had an "absolute right" to "go after" any place playing music in public. However, the IMRO had gone about licensing schools "in a really bad way".
The IMRO has negotiated central agreements with hotel owners and Dublin vintners, but country pubs are resisting its demands. It raises about £8 million ear in royalties, of which £5 million is sent abroad to overseas composers. It also handles more than £5 million a year earned by Irish composers in overseas royalties.
The Association of Irish Festival Events, which represents most of the community festivals (North and South), has called, for an amendment to the Copyright Act, 1963. It believes, that voluntary non profit making community festivals should be exempt from such charges.
