Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 May 2001

Vol. 535 No. 1

Written Answers - Telecommunications Structures.

Sean Fleming

Question:

404 Mr. Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of telecommunications antennae and support structures and masts that have been granted planning permission in recent years on a county by county basis; and the estimated number of such structures that were already in place such as Eircom masts and so on, that did not require planning permission. [11731/01]

Sean Fleming

Question:

405 Mr. Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the best estimates available of the number of temporary telecommunications antennae and support structures or masts which have been erected by the mobile phone companies in the years 1999, 2000 and 2001 to date without the requirement to go through the planning process; and if he will introduce guidelines and regulations to require mobile phone companies to consult with local authorities or local communities. [11732/01]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 404 and 405 together.

Information on the number of telecommunications masts or antennae which have been granted planning permission by local authorities is not available in my Department. Such information would be held by each individual planning authority in its planning register. Neither does my Department have information regarding masts or antennae which are exempted development and therefore did not require planning permission. My Department published guidelines for planning authorities on telecommunications antennae and support structure in July 1996. The guidelines were issued to assist planning authorities, An Bord Pleanála, operators of mobile telecommunications services and the general public by providing guidance on dealing with telecommunications antennae and support structures within the planning system.

On the question of temporary masts and antennae, Class 29 of Part I of the Second Schedule of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Regulations, 1994, exempts certain development by licensed telecommunications operators from the requirement for planning permission. In particular, class 29(h) exempts 'transportable radio links' subject to a number of conditions, one of which is that the link shall be removed from the land on which it is provided not later than twelve months from the date on which it was provided. The provision in question is being examined as part of the general review of the exempted development regulations made under the planning Acts. Work on these regulations, which require the approval of both Houses of the Oireachtas, is now at an advanced stage and I propose to publish these regulations and submit them to the Oireachtas within the next month.