Software piracy in Ireland is on the increase for the first time in six years, according to figures released today by the Business Software Alliance (BSA).
The rate has grown by one per cent of all software to 42 per cent since last year. However, this is a decrease from 71 per cent in 1995 when BSA began their operations in Ireland.
BSA Chairman Mr Julian McMenamin said he was surprised by the figures. "Year on year the piracy rate has decreased. To see an upturn now is extremely disappointing."
As part of their armoury in combating piracy, BSA offer a reward of up to €10,000 for information leading to successful prosecution of offenders. An informant’s tip-off can often be grounds enough for BSA to obtain a court order authorising their agents, together with gardaí, to raid offices in search of illegal software.
Dozens of actions have been taken by BSA against rogue companies with a number of prosecutions resulting.
The BSA believes the piracy rate "does not show Ireland in a very good light". The latest increase means that almost one in every two software packages in use in Irish business is an illegal copy, giving Ireland - the world’s leading exporter of software - the fifth highest piracy rate in Europe.
After enacting the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000, the BSA awarded the Taoiseach Mr Ahern the "Cyber Champion Award" in October 2000. Mr Ahern is the first European leader to be given the award.
The Copyright Act permits surprise searches and enacts stiff penalties against software theft.
In 2001, piracy cost the retail sector $40 million in lost sales. "Software piracy is a crime," added Mr McMenamin. "It continues to rob the software industry of millions and the marketplace of hundreds of jobs and millions in wages."
Figures compiled in the latest global survey show that in 1995 46 per cent of all software was pirated. Six years later the figure is 40 per cent, at a cost to the software industry of $11 billion. On a global scale, the top offenders are Vietnam (94 per cent), China (92 per cent) and Indonesia (88 per cent).