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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 11 May 1999

Vol. 504 No. 4

Written Answers. - National Telephone Directories.

Ivan Yates

Question:

127 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the proposals, if any, she has to deregulate the national telephone directories. [11905/99]

There is no statutory monopoly in relation to the provision of telephone directories and their production and supply are subject to full competition. The European Communities (Voice Telephony and Universal Service) Regulations, 1999 (S.I. No. 71 of 1999), which I recently made, provide for the designation by the director of telecommunications regulation of one or more companies to make publicly available, as part of a universal service obligation, alphabetical directories of all telephone subscribers in the State who wish to be included. The regulations also provide that licensed telecommunications operators must ensure that their subscribers have the right to have an entry free of charge in such directories. I understand that the director is making arrangements for the implementation of the relevant provisions of the regulations. These provisions do not apply to classified directories such as the Golden Pages or other commercial directories.

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