[ILUG] patents again

[Niall Walsh]

Frank Duignan wrote:

>I see our MEP is pushing for patents again.
>
>http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/04/25/eu_patents/
>
>Almost makes one embarassed to be Irish.
>  
>
Perhaps he should be moved to the "In Favour" area on 
http://www.kde.ie/patents/mep-status.php and be sent an email informing 
him of it.   If he wants to be moved he should need to provide a public 
statement explaining his position.

It's probably time to ask the others who are considering their position 
or who have not clarified their positions just where they stand.   Tell 
them that in the absence of a clear statement we will do our best to 
represent their position based on any comments they have made on record, 
or in their absence based on the comments of their party/associates and 
that a clear public statement will be required before we will 
re-evaluate positions (e.g. all the Fianna Fail MEPs would be moved to 
"in favour" in the absence of any personal public statements to suggest 
otherwise but the Independents may not have anything for us to base an 
assumption on).

We need 4 of the "under consideration" or "unknown" MEPs to come out 
against to have a 2/3 majority here in Ireland (which given the 
"special" circumstances of Ireland would be quite damning).   As it is 
with 7/16 against and 4/16 "In favour" (I'm counting all the FF MEPs 
against) things are good, but could there actually be a complete united 
oppossition to the government on this across the entire country (2 FG, 2 
Indep and 1 UUP are unknown with 3 FG, 2 SF, 1 Labour and 1 DUP against)?

Niall