Danny O’Donoghue Supports Sinn Féin’s Motion to Protect Irish Artists’ Copyrights Against AI Exploitation

Danny O’Donoghue, lead vocalist of the Irish pop band The Script, has voiced strong support for Sinn Féin’s motion titled “Protecting the Copyright of Irish Artists in the era of Artificial Intelligence,” scheduled for debate in the Irish Parliament on Tuesday.

Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland radio news programme, O’Donoghue revealed that he recently discovered 125 of his and The Script’s songs had been scraped and used for training by five major artificial intelligence companies. He described this practice as “outrageous” and characterized it as “intellectual property theft on an industrial scale.”

O’Donoghue emphasized that a song’s creation involves an ecosystem of contributors, including small businesses, not just a single individual. While The Script is an established act capable of selling concert tickets, he stressed that his advocacy represents many lesser-known Irish musicians who face greater vulnerability in this context.

He acknowledged the existence of copyright laws but noted that musicians typically focus on creating music rather than lobbying for legal protections or financial gain. Drawing a parallel, he said, “If this was Coca-Cola and we stole their formula, you could be damn sure we’d be brought to court over it.”

The frontman also highlighted the market impact of AI-generated songs, noting that approximately 80,000 new songs are released daily, which he believes “dilutes the market” and overshadows emerging artists.

O’Donoghue urged Ireland to leverage its presidency of the Council of Europe to demonstrate support for its artists by introducing new legislation that ensures fair pay and proper licensing for AI use of creative works. He proposed measures such as AI “opt-out rights,” allowing artists to consent to or refuse the use of their material for AI training, coupled with compensation mechanisms.

Additionally, he suggested that the Irish Government should prohibit public funding for AI-generated content to protect the interests of human creators.

Describing the Sinn Féin motion as a “clear line in the sand,” O’Donoghue framed it as a defining stance between those who support Irish musicians and those who do not.

Responding to the issue ahead of a Cabinet meeting, Research, Innovation and Science Minister James Lawless expressed sympathy for musicians’ concerns but described the matter as “difficult” and “complex.” He remarked that a private members’ bill from the opposition, introduced in the final week of the Dáil session, is unlikely to resolve the problem.

Lawless acknowledged listening to O’Donoghue with “great interest” and emphasized the need for European-level regulation. He confirmed that the Government will engage with ongoing discussions to address the risks posed by AI to the music industry.

He concluded by affirming the urgency of protecting musicians’ copyrights and intellectual property, recognizing the “very real and present danger” AI currently represents to the sector.