Taoiseach confirms EU patent referendum is unlikely to go ahead in June

Taoiseach Simon Harris has confirmed the proposed EU patent referendum is unlikely to take place in June as had been planned.

Previously, it was announced the referendum would take place on Friday, June 7 but a formal decision to hold it on that date has not been made by the government and a Ministerial Order has not been signed.

Speaking on Friday, Tánaiste Micheál Martin suggested the government was “running out of time” to hold the referendum and Mr Harris echoed his sentiments while attending a Fine Gael event in Co. Limerick on Friday night.

He confirmed that Peter Burke - the newly-appointed Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment - has been asked to review the matter and that he will bring a memorandum to the government next week.

"I do think it's really important that government listens and that government learns lessons in relation to our referenda. I don't think we should have any process that is rushed," Mr Harris told reporters.

"I know that this an issue that has been discussed for many years but, in terms of the actual time frame to have a referendum campaign, to allow the Referendum Commission do its job, I think it's important that we reflect on that and get that right in terms of the timing and I do feel, at the moment, that it looks to me like it would be rushed in terms of trying to have it on the seventh of June but that will be a mater for government to decide in the days ahead."

The Unified Patent Court aims to make it easier for businesses and inventors to copyright their ideas and inventions across the EU – meaning they would only need to make one patent application instead of several.

The Government has approved the drafting of a bill that will allow Ireland to take part in the patent court if the proposed referendum is passed.