FG e-mail bill ‘could save millions’

IRISH businesses could save millions if the Government adopts a Fine Gael bill aimed at the elimination of unwanted e-mail, according to Cork TD Simon Coveney.

SPAM, unwanted commercial e-mail and text messages, costs Irish business up to 188 million each year. Mr Coveney said SPAM was the main factor assisting the spread of computer viruses.

“This bill will require internet service providers to filter and reduce SPAM e-mails and it also makes it an offence to send commercial text messages. This will help to reduce the rapid spread of viruses by filtering out mass-produced commercial e-mails.

“The top 1,100 companies in Ireland employ 574,679 people, or an average of 509 people in each company. A British study estimated the cost of SPAM to businesses at 57,000 per year for those employing more than 500 people. If the same costs were to reasonably apply in Ireland then the top 1,100 companies would face a cost of 62.7m per year. With twice this number of people employed in the economy in smaller companies the cost to business across the economy comes to a total of 188m.

“Communications Minister Dermot Ahern indicated this summer that he is open to introducing legislation to control SPAM.

I would urge Minister Ahern to take our bill on board by introducing legislation this autumn.