The Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) and the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) told the Sunday Tribune that if politicians choose to include a song in the recording without seeking permission from the artist, they may face a fine of up to 1,270 under the Copyright Act of 2000. "You need permission from the publisher or composer . . . the person who wrote the lyrics . . . and the person who made the song, the record label or performer. , said Dick Doyle, director of IMRO. "They could ring IMRO, who look after the composers or PPI (Phonographic Performance Ireland) and try and get permission, but it would be very difficult."

Fine Gael told the Sunday Tribune that it did not think it was violating the law in relation to its Sligo North Leitrim candidate Imelda Henry, who uploaded a video montage to the sound of Westlife's 'Flying Without Wings'. "There is no definitive rule in relation to using music like this on YouTube, " a spokeswoman for Fine Gael argued. "Imelda Henry is a fan of Westlife, they're local boys who everyone is proud of and she thinks that this song is particularly uplifting. She would never do anything she thought was inappropriate."

But IRMA say politicians must pay a tariff to get a licence to use a song. The cost of clearing a song's rights for use in a political campaign in Ireland is 22.40 per candidate per election campaign from the PPI.

Ogra Fianna Fail has also posted a video montage with a soundtrack on YouTube, a cover of Nena's '99 Red Balloons'. Fianna Fail was unavailable for comment. A montage lampooning the government to the tune of 'Send in the Clowns' could also be in violation of copyright. The Sunday Tribune contacted the person who posted the video but received no response.

Many Fine Gael candidates, including Senator John Paul Phelan, Jerry Buttimer and Regina Doherty have duplicated the video and integrated it into their Bebo pages.

They too could be in violation of copyright law. IRMA says politicians using music in their online campaigns had "better get a licence from IMRO and from PPI. . . If they don't get clearance from ourselves, they are violating copyright."