Deputy's statement on ACTA is confused

Posted on July 05, 2012 at 11:55 AM

Deputy Ferris' statement on ACTA is confused and shows a lack of understanding - Minister Sean Sherlock responds:

ACTA and the Statutory Instrument are two different things. I never signed ACTA. The Statutory instrument was signed by the Government. I believe that Deputy Ferris is confusing ACTA with the signing of a Statutory Instrument. The Government amended the Copyright Act (SI). I am not sure if Deputy Ferris is deliberately confusing the two issues, I suspect that the Sinn Fein PR machine doesn't actually understand the difference between the two issues at hand.

If one is an opposition spokesperson I would suggest that before issuing a statement, that one would have the facts to hand. When Deputy Ferris welcomed the rejection of ACTA by the European Parliament, he stated 'I was one of the few members of the Oireachtas to raise and oppose the measure when it was signed by the Minister for State Sean Sherlock'.

This is factually incorrect.

If Dep Ferris isn't fully briefed as a communications spokesperson then that is a matter for himself and his colleagues.
I have stated publically that if opposition spokespersons wish to receive briefings to appraise themselves of the issues at hand then that option is open to them. I respectfully suggest he takes me up on that offer.

Minister Sean Sherlock

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