Ireland’s second largest broadband provider UPC has been ordered to introduce ‘three strikes’ anti-piracy legislation, following a joint injunction from Sony Music, Universal Music and Warner Music.

The Irish Independent reports that the High Court ruling requires UPC to implement a system that will see any service user found downloading pirated music or movies to be disconnected after two warnings and, if those fail to deter repeat offenders, a final court process.



"The current generation of writers, performers and interpreters of music cannot have their livelihoods destroyed by advances in technology which allow persons to breach their constitutional rights with impunity,” High Court judge Brian Cregan is reported to have said.



He dismissed UPC’s argument that it is not their responsibility to police what material its customers access or download and adjourned the case until next month to enable all parties to prepare a submission on how the ‘three-strikes’ order is to be implemented.



Cregan estimated that cost of setting up such a system would be between €800,000 ($860,000) and €940,000 ($1 million), with UPC to pay 80% of the costs. The remaining 20% would be paid for by record companies and rights holders.



Annual operating costs were estimated at between €200,000 ($215,000) and €300,000 ($320,000), payable by UPC, while funding for an impartial arbitration panel for anyone who wished to challenge a ‘three strikes’ notification would be borne equally between the parties.