Duration of Copyright Protection

Duration of Copyright Protection

The duration of copyright protection varies according to the format of the work, as outlined below.

Category of Work

Duration of Protection                        
Literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works and original databases                              Copyright protection expires 70 years after the death of the author/creator
FilmsCopyright protection expires 70 years after the last of the following dies, the director, the author of the screenplay, the author of the dialogue of the film, or the author of the music composed for use in the film.
Sound recordingsCopyright protection expires 70 years after the sound recording is made, or if it is made available to the public, then 50 years from the date it was made available to the public.
BroadcastsCopyright protection expires 50 years after the broadcast is first transmitted
The typographical arrangement of a published editionCopyright protection expires 50 years after the date it is first made available to the public
Computer-generated worksCopyright protection expires 70 years after the date it is first made available to the public

Chapter 3 of the Copyright and Related Rights Act, 2000 (No. 28 of 2000)deals in greater detail with the duration of copyright in Ireland.