Vol. 549 No. 1
128 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the powers of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation which are to be extended in the proposed Communications (Regulation) Bill; the exact updating of the regulatory framework in view of the forthcoming full liberalisation of the sector to be contained in the Bill; when the Bill will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6001/02]
The main aims of the Communications Regulation Bill are as follows: to create a commission for communications regulation; dissolve the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation and transfer its functions to the commission; increase penalties for breach of certain offences; and provide for the improved management of public road opening for the purpose of laying telecommunications infrastructure.
Following a review of the provisions of the general scheme of the Bill during the course of drafting, I decided that some of its provisions can be more appropriately progressed through alternative legislative means. Accordingly, some provisions in the general scheme have not been included in the text of the Bill. A number of these provisions are covered by the new European regulatory framework for the electronic communications sector which consists of five European Parliament and Council Directives and a decision. These provisions will be transposed into Irish law by means of regulations under the European Communities Acts.
The Bill was approved at yesterday's Government meeting. It is my intention to present the Bill immediately to the Dáil or Seanad and to circulate it to Deputies and Senators with a view to enactment as soon as possible.
