I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 55 together.
EU Directive 97/33/EC, which deals, among other things, with interconnection of telecommunications networks, requires member states to put in place before 31 December 1997 measures to ensure facility and property sharing by organisations providing telecommunications networks and publicly available telecommunications services. Regulations to implement the directive in Ireland will be signed before that date.
The directive provides that arrangements for co-location or facility sharing shall normally be a matter for commercial and technical agreement. It requires however that national regulatory authorities, that is, the Director of Telecommunications Regulation in Ireland, must have powers to intervene to resolve disputes. Facility or property sharing arrangements may only be imposed after an appropriate period of public consultation during which all interested parties must be given an opportunity to express their views.
These requirements will be reflected in the regulations to implement the directive.
I fully support the principle of sharing of masts and other telecommunications infrastructure on the basis of commercial agreements in order to promote economic efficiency and minimise the adverse environmental impact of telecommunications infrastructure.
