Industrial Designs Act, 2001

Privileged communications.

87.—(1) This section applies to communications in respect of any matter relating to the protection of a design.

(2) Any communication to which this section applies—

(a) between a person and his or her registered agent, or

(b) for the purposes of obtaining or in response to a request for information which a person is seeking for the purpose of instructing his or her registered agent,

is privileged from disclosure in legal proceedings in the State in the same way as a communication between a person and his or her solicitor or, as the case may be, a communication for the purpose of obtaining or in response to a request for information which a person seeks for the purpose of instructing his or her solicitor.

(3) In subsection (2), “registered agent” means:

(a) a registered trade mark agent;

(b) a registered patent agent.

(4) Section 94 (2) of the Patents Act, 1992 , is hereby amended by the deletion of “, design” and the said subsection shall be construed and have effect accordingly.