SIX internet service providers (ISPs) must block access by subscribers to various Pirate Bay websites within 30 days, the High Court has ruled.

About 200,000 Irish users, representing some 8pc of all internet users here, access the Pirate Bay sites monthly and illegal file-sharing is devastating sales of music, film and TV here with serious consequences for artists, record companies, retailers and employment, it was claimed.

EMI, Sony, Warner Music and Universal had alleged the Pirate Bay activities were causing them some €20m losses annually and sought the orders against UPC, Imagine, Vodafone, Digiweb, Hutchison 3G Ltd and Telefonica O2 Ireland Ltd.

Eircom has already voluntarily blocked access by its subscribers to Pirate Bay and the companies claimed a new regulation means other ISPs must do the same. The defendants effectively adopted a neutral stance to the companies application but some raised issues including alleging overblocking could affect legitimate sites.

Today, Mr Justice Brian McGovern said he was satisfied to make the order blocking Pirate Bay in circumstances including that new copyright laws here and in the EU permitted such orders to be made.

He agreed with a previous High Court judge who had said he would make such blocking orders if the law permitted and noted the law now allowed for such orders.

The form of the orders means the music companies will not have to make fresh applications to court if Pirate Bay changes its location on the internet.

The judge noted the companies had accepted they should meet the costs of blocking the Pirate Bay sites.

While none of the defendant companies were wrongdoers in the case and had effectively adopted a neutral stance apart from engaging in some legitimate dialogue with the companies, the providers were the conduit through which the wrongful activity conducted by The Pirate Bay has been effected, he said.

"There is no doubt but that this activity has caused, and continues to cause, substantial financial damage to the plaintiffs."

The record companies claimed the Pirate Bay sites hold a vast directory of copyright material being made available to millions around the world.

About 25pc of that material was music, 20pc was film and 15pc was TV. It was conservatively estimated about 78pc of the music and 90pc of the film and TV was copyright and his side's experts also calculated up to US$36m dollars advertising revenue is generated annually for the Pirate Bay sites, they claimed.

Online Editors