Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 2 Apr 1998

Vol. 489 No. 5

Written Answers. - Communications Masts.

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

34 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she will introduce legislation to force mobile phone companies to share their telecommunications masts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8392/98]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke)

Earlier this year I made regulations laying down measures to ensure facility and property sharing by organisations providing telecommunications networks and publicly-available telecommunications services; including mobile phone companies.

These regulations are the European Communities (Interconnection in Telecommunications) Regulations, S.I. No. 15 of 1998, which came into force on 22 January of this year, and they implement EU Directive 97/33/EC.

The regulations provide that arrangements for co-location or facility sharing shall normally be a matter for commercial and technical agreement. In cases where the operators cannot come to an agreement, the Director of Telecommunications Regulation is empowered to intervene to resolve disputes. The director may impose facility or property sharing arrangements only after an appropriate period of public consultation, during which all interested parties must be given an opportunity to express their views.

I fully support the principle of sharing of masts and other telecommunications infrastructure in order to promote economic efficiency and minimise the adverse environmental impact of telecommunications infrastructure. This is in line with the existing Government policy on the planning status of mobile phone masts.