Apology from Dept. of Justice for using my photograph without permission

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See:  http://carrigman.blogspot.com/2011/07/dept-of-justice-uses-photo-of-mine.html

When I initially queried the matter with the Department I was told that the image had been purchased from a stock photo agency: istockphoto.com.

I had never made the image available to that or any other stock agency.

I wrote to istockphoto and asked for their comments. As expected, they were at pains to point out that they respect intellectual property rights and would never lift images from sites such as Flickr to sell on. They asked me for the purchase reference number used by the DoJ so that they could investigate the matter further.

I accordingly wrote to the Department on 25th July for that information and requested a quick response. I eventually got a reply today as follows:



3 August, 2011


Dear Mr Finn,


I am directed by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Mr Alan Shatter, T.D., to refer to your correspondence dated 25 July, 2011 regarding publication of the Cloyne report.


Upon our initial investigation into the matter, we were informed that the photograph on the cover of the report was used with your permission as its author and that the relevant payment had been made.  On further investigation it now transpires that this is not the case.


The Department therefore acknowledges that the photograph should not have been used without your consent or permission as its author.  We apologise unreservedly for the error.


A limited number of copies of the report, with the photograph on the cover, were printed internally in the Department and distributed without charge. 


Following receipt of your correspondence of 13 July querying the use of the photograph, it was removed from the Department's website as a precautionary measure.  Further copies of the report have now been printed for sale, and these copies do not contain the photograph.


Yours sincerely,
_____________
Damien Brennan
Private Secretary to the Minister for Justice and Equality


I trust they have learned a lesson: do not trample on photographers' rights.

We photographers should remain vigilant and pursue copyright infringement when it comes to our attention.