asked the Minister for Communications if he has decided to allow competitive, rather than monopolistic, supply of any value-added telecommunications services; and if so, if he will give details thereof.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Telecommunications Services.
5.
I have not yet made any decision on how the provision of value-added services will be regulated. While it is likely that, in accordance with the European Commission's Green Paper on the Development of the Common Market for Telecommunications Services and Equipment, competitive supply of some such services will be permitted, it is too early yet to say what the eventual position will be. As the Deputy will probably be aware there is as yet no universal agreement on where the boundary lies between such value-added services and those basic services which will remain exclusively with telecommunications administrations.
Is the Minister saying that he has not made up his mind on the contents, and the implementation of the contents, of the Green Paper?
I did not say that. I said that there has been no decision as yet as to where it will be within Europe.
In common language that means that the Minister has not made up his mind.
That is not the point.
Will the Minister say when he expects to make up his mind?
The Green Paper is being discussed at EC level. The decision will be taken by the EC and, as yet, there is not universal agreement on where the boundary lies between such value-added services and those basic services which will remain exclusively with telecommunications administrations. It is my intention, as far as possible, to ensure that while we have competition our basic telecommunications administrations will not be damaged by too much liberalisation.
Will the Minister not agree that, as a country that depends on communications more than any other member state, we should be the first to make up our minds on issues like this so that planning can proceed on a definite basis? The Minister is saying that there may be liberalisation and there may not be, but that is not satisfactory from the point of view of planning.
It may not be satisfactory for the Deputy.
The Minister is the Minister and he is the person responsible for this matter. Will he give a reply to my question?
This may lead to argument.
As I have already indicated, there are major questions involved in this. There is the consideration of a definition in Europe, not here but in Europe, as to what will constitute basic services. When that is defined we will know where we are going.
But Europe may not know.
That depends on the Europeans.
It depends on the Minister.