Dáil motion to stop Donegal artists being ‘ripped off’ by Artificial Intelligence
“I would encourage those in the arts and anyone who cares about art to contact Donegal Government TDs and ask them to support this motion” - Sinn Fein TD
Sinn Féin TDs for Donegal, Pádraig MacLochlainn and Pearse Doherty, have demanded action to protect the livelihoods of Irish artists whose copyright is being undermined by the use of artificial intelligence.
A Sinn Féin motion on this issue will be debated today, Tuesday, during Sinn Féin’s private members’ business time in the Dáil.
Teachta Mac Lochlainn said Irish artists' copyrighted work is being used, without their consent and without any remuneration, to build systems that churn out ‘AI art’ which directly competes with them.
“They are being ripped off,” he blasted. “This is making it even harder for Donegal's writers, composers, musicians, performers, actors, and other artists to make a living in a field where so many already struggle, and where royalties from copyright are vital to their income.”
“The work of local artists plays such a vital role in the cultural fabric of Donegal.”
“That is why we are tabling a motion before the Dáil today to demand action both here and at European level, to protect the copyright and incomes of artists, to ensure no state funding for art is spent on content produced by AI, and to place the creative sector at the heart of decision-making when it comes to AI policy.”
Teachta Doherty added: “The economic impact of AI is significant in the arts. We’re talking about a €22 billion cumulative loss for the audiovisual and music sectors over the coming years, including almost a quarter of revenue for music creators. The economic impact of AI will be felt significantly within the arts.”
“One music streaming service, Deezer, found that roughly 44% of daily uploads were AI-generated, and that up to 85% of the streams generated by fully AI-generated tracks in 2025 were fraudulent.”
“A majority of European Union member states and the EU Parliament have been clear on the need for a fit-for-purpose copyright framework to address rapidly changing technology, and Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU offers us a chance to take the lead regarding this.”
“We have taken the time to listen to the many arts organisations and artists who have been demanding action for some time, including the Irish Music Rights Organisation, Irish Equity, Screen Composers Guild of Ireland, the Ivors Academy, Irish Recorded Music Association, and the Irish Writers’ Union.”
“I would encourage those in the arts and anyone who cares about art to contact Donegal Government TDs and ask them to support this motion.”