Ostensibly the broadcaster has its sights on the resellers of the illegal service rather than individual end customers. The use of a dodgy boxes is a breach of Irish copyright law but unlike most other European jurisdictions there is no simple system of fines or sanctions for the users of the boxes. That said, the company’s frustration with the lack of enforcement of the law is clear. The high usage of dodgy boxes in Ireland – significantly higher per head than in the UK – is clearly linked to the lack of any effective enforcement regime. The UK has a system of fines and other sanctions for users and the police enforce the law with home visits, warnings and device seizures.

Source: The Irish Times March 30, 2026 07:00 UTC