Seventy Ninth Annual Report of the Controller of Patents, Designs ...
Seventy Ninth Annual Report of the Controller of Patents, Designs ...
Seventy Ninth Annual Report of the Controller of Patents, Designs ...
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<strong>Seventy</strong> <strong>Ninth</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Controller</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Patents</strong>,<br />
<strong>Designs</strong> & Trade Marks<br />
An Naoú Tuarascáil is Seachtó ón gCeannasaí Paitinní,<br />
Dearthaí agus Trádmharcanna<br />
GENERAL<br />
Intellectual property rights are being increasingly acknowledged<br />
as important assets, enabling companies to enhance <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
competitiveness and <strong>the</strong>reby promoting economic growth. The<br />
administration <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se rights is fundamental for optimising<br />
innovation. Consequently, during 2006 my Office sought to<br />
provide Irish business, industry and individual entrepreneurs with<br />
an efficient system <strong>of</strong> protection for <strong>the</strong>ir intellectual property<br />
rights.<br />
Mission & Objectives<br />
The central mission <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Patents</strong> Office continues to be:<br />
“To provide an efficient and effective system <strong>of</strong> industrial<br />
property protection that will encourage technological progress<br />
and promote enterprise through <strong>the</strong> implementation by <strong>the</strong><br />
Office <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> relevant legislation”.<br />
The Office’s Strategy Statement for <strong>the</strong> period 2004 to 2007 sets<br />
out <strong>the</strong> following four objectives, <strong>the</strong> achievement <strong>of</strong> which<br />
is seen as central to fulfilling <strong>the</strong> mission <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Office. They<br />
also support <strong>the</strong> wider national objectives <strong>of</strong> supporting and<br />
encouraging enterprise and innovation and <strong>the</strong> fostering <strong>of</strong> an<br />
effective business environment in Ireland.<br />
Objective (1)<br />
Continue to grant patents and register trade marks and designs<br />
based on efficient administrative procedures and standards <strong>of</strong><br />
service which reflects best international practice and meets <strong>the</strong><br />
needs <strong>of</strong> customers.<br />
Objective (2)<br />
Seek to incorporate new technology in order to improve systems<br />
and procedures and service to customers and which will also<br />
have regard to <strong>the</strong> demands <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> information society and e-<br />
business.<br />
Objective (3)<br />
Implement any new IP legislation which creates functions for <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Controller</strong>.<br />
Objective (4)<br />
Recognise staff as a key asset <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>fice and utilise business<br />
planning and individual performance management and<br />
development in order to improve business performance and<br />
processes and enhance organisational effectiveness.<br />
The information in this <strong>Report</strong> reflects <strong>the</strong> extent to which<br />
achieving <strong>the</strong>se objectives continued to be to <strong>the</strong> fore in <strong>the</strong><br />
work <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Office during 2006. I would like to acknowledge here<br />
formally <strong>the</strong> commitment <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> staff <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Patents</strong> Office to<br />
meeting <strong>the</strong>se objectives, <strong>the</strong> customer service targets and <strong>the</strong><br />
key tasks set out in <strong>the</strong> Office’s Business Plan.<br />
GINEARÁLTA<br />
Aithnítear níos mó ná riamh gur sócmhainní tábhachtacha iad<br />
cearta intleachtúla, lena gcumasaítear do chuideachtaí cur lena n-<br />
iomaíochas agus, dá bharr sin, lena gcuirtear a bhfás eacnamaíoch<br />
chun cinn. Tá riarachán na gceart sin bunúsach ó thaobh an<br />
nuáil a uasmhéadú. Dá thoradh sin, le linn 2006 thriail m’Oifig<br />
córas éifeachtach a sholáthar do lucht gnó, lucht tionscail agus<br />
d’fhiontrai<strong>the</strong> aonair in Éirinn chun a gcearta maoine intleachtúla<br />
a chosaint.<br />
Bunchuspóir agus Cuspóirí Eile<br />
Is é bunchuspóir lárnach Oifig na bPaitinní i gcónaí ná:<br />
“Córas éifeachtach agus éifeachtúil cosanta maidir le maoin<br />
thionsclaíoch a sholáthar lena spreagfar dul chun cinn<br />
teicneolaíoch agus lena gcuirfear an fhiontraíocht chun cinn trí<br />
chur chun feidhme na reachtaíochta cuí ag an Oifig.”<br />
I Ráiteas Straitéise na hOifige don tréimhse 2004 go 2007, leagtar<br />
amach na ceithre chuspóir seo a leanas, agus tá baint amach na<br />
gcuspóirí sin ríthábhachtach maidir le bunchuspóir na hOifige<br />
a chur i gcrích. Ina <strong>the</strong>annta sin, nascann siad leis na cuspóirí<br />
náisiúnta is leithne ná sin maidir le tacaíocht agus spreagadh a<br />
thabhairt don fhiontraíocht agus don nuáil agus timpeallacht<br />
éifeachtach gnó a chothú in Éirinn.<br />
Cuspóir (1)<br />
Leanúint ar aghaidh ag bronnadh paitinní agus ag clárú<br />
trádmharcanna agus dearaí bunai<strong>the</strong> ar nósanna imeachta agus<br />
caighdeáin seirbhíse éifeachtacha ar léiriú iad ar an gcleachtas<br />
idirnáisiúnta is fearr agus a fhreastalaíonn ar riachtanais na<br />
gcustaiméirí<br />
Cuspóir (2)<br />
Díriú ar an nua<strong>the</strong>icneolaíocht a bhunú chun feabhas a chur<br />
ar chórais agus nósanna imeachta agus ar an tseirbhís do<br />
chustaiméirí, agus aird a thabhairt ar éilimh na sochaí faisnéise<br />
agus an ríomhghnó.<br />
Cuspóir (3)<br />
Aon reachtaíocht nua IP lena gcruthaítear feidhmeanna nua don<br />
Cheannasaí a chur chun feidhme.<br />
Cuspóir (4)<br />
An fhoireann a aithint mar acmhainn ríthábhachtach de chuid<br />
na hOifige agus leas a bhaint as pleanáil gnó agus as bainistiú<br />
agus forbairt feidhmíochta aonair d’fhonn feabhas a chur<br />
ar an bhfeidhmíocht ghnó agus ar phróisis ghnó agus cur le<br />
héifeachtúlacht na heagraíochta.<br />
Is léiriú í an fhaisnéis sa Tuarascáil seo ar an méid a raibh baint<br />
amach na gcuspóirí sin chun tosaigh i gcónaí in obair na hOifige<br />
le linn 2006. Ba mhaith liom ai<strong>the</strong>antas foirmeálta a thabhairt<br />
do thiomantas fhoireann Oifig na bPaitinní maidir leis na cuspóirí<br />
sin, na spriocanna seirbhíse do chustaiméirí agus na tascanna<br />
ríthábhachtacha atá leagtha amach i bPlean Gnó na hOifige a<br />
bhaint amach.