Legal

U-turn on patent referendum ‘leaves businesses in limbo’

A decision to postpone a referendum on joining an international court looks certain to be made next week

There is disagreement among legal professionals whether it would be beneficial for Ireland to participate in the EU’s patent court. Picture: Grant Faint

Irish companies are being “left in limbo” by the government’s U-turn on holding a referendum in June on joining a new EU patent court, a leading expert has said.

Micheál Martin, the Fianna Fáil leader, has said he will support a postponement of the upcoming patent referendum when coalition leaders meet to discuss the matter.

Naoise Gaffney, a Trinity College Dublin professor and vice president of intellectual property at GH Research, said any decision to ...