Vol. 480 No. 6
341 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will give details of the planning exemptions granted to the mobile phone industry in relation to masts; the plans, if any, he has for further exemptions; if his attention has been drawn to the opposition from residents' groups to such exemptions; if he will put existing guidelines on a statutory basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14537/97]
Article 9(1)(b) of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Regulations, 1994 provided that antenna support structures, subject to certain criteria, would be exempted development for a transitional period of six months from the coming into force of the Regulations on 16 May 1994. The Local Government (Planning and Development) Regulations, 1997 provided that, with effect from 12 February 1997 and subject to certain criteria, restrictions on the size, number and type of mobile phone antenna and compliance with certain emissions standards, the addition of antennae for mobile telephony to an existing radio mast and the replacement of an existing mast, were exempted development. I have no plans for further exemptions.
Guidelines on telecommunications antennae and support structures were published by my Department in July 1996. The guidelines are intended to assist planning authorities, An Bord Pleanála, operators of mobile telecommunications services and the public by providing guidance on dealing with telecommunications antennae and support structures within the planning system. Together with the 1997 regulations referred to above, they promote co-location of antennae by mobile phone operators as a key measure to avoid the unnecessary proliferation of masts. Local authorities and An Bord Pleanála are already statutorily obliged to have regard to the guidelines, being an expression of Government policy.
