An application to continue an order restraining Cork University Press from further printing or distributing a new book containing excerpts from James Joyce's Ulysses will resume hearing at the High Court today.
The proceedings are being taken by the James Joyce estate against Cork University Press. It is seeking to have an interim restraining order continued pen ding the outcome of the main action. Mr Donal O'Donnell SC, for the estate, yesterday said legislation had meant that copyright on Joyce's works expired on December 31st, 1991, 50 years after his death. However, an EU directive adopted on October 29th, 1993, and given effect to in Irish law, had extended copyright to 70 years from an author's death. Last April the publishers asked the Joyce estate for permission to include quotations and excerpts from Joyce's work in the new anthology. This was agreed subject to a £7,000 fee. A request for a fee reduction was refused.
Last June the publisher offered to pay £2,500 plus 0.5 per cent of the royalties. Mr Stephen Joyce, a grandson of the author, declined to reduce the fee, and in July Cork University Press was refused permission by the estate to publish the Joyce excerpts.
Mr O'Donnell said the publishers nevertheless went ahead with publication using extracts from a work on Ulysses by Danis Rose.