Ireland's software piracy rate has not improved in the last two years, according to the eighth Business Software Alliance's annual survey.
The piracy rate remains at 42% here, despite the country experiencing the highest drop in software piracy in Europe from 1994 to 2000. This means that almost one in every two business software programmes installed in Ireland is an illegal copy.
According to a recent IDC study, Ireland's economy would increase by €570m, benefit from 2,400 new high-wage jobs and €236m in tax revenues by 2006 if software piracy was reduced by 10 percentages points in the next four years.
Compared to the rest of Europe, Ireland shares the same piracy rate as Portugal, while the UK has a piracy rate of 26%. Denmark enjoys the lowest piracy rate in Europe at 24% while Greece has the highest at 63%.
Globally, software piracy declined to 39% in 2002 from an all time high of 49% in 1994. In Western Europe, it has declined from 52% to 35%.
'The lack of improvement on Ireland's piracy rate can be attributed to the proliferation of internet piracy and a certain amount of apathy,' commented Julian McMenamin, Chairman of BSA Ireland.
'Although the current business environment is difficult, companies must appreciate the value of software and ensure sound software asset management procedures are put in place. It is obvious that bolder measures will have to be taken to combat the continuing problem of piracy in Ireland,' he added.
