Vol. 568 No. 2
106 Ms Lynch asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources when it is planned to establish the planned appeals board for the communications sector; if it will be done on a statutory basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15917/03]
As part of the transposition into Irish law of European Community measures to reform the regulation of the electronic communications sector, I am considering the establishment of an appeals panel to deal with appeals against regulatory decisions. The new EU Electronic Communications Regulatory package is designed to bring current Community legislation on electronic communications into line with the far-reaching changes, including technologic convergence, taking place in the telecommunications, media and information technologies sectors. The legislative package consists of a framework directive, four other directives on authorisations; access and Interconnection; universal service and user rights and data protection and a decision on radio spectrum. Most of the provisions, including those relating to appeals, must be transposed into national law by 25 July 2003.
Earlier this year my Department held a public consultation process on draft regulations to transpose the new package into Irish law. These proposed regulations include provisions for the establishment of an appeals panel. My Department is finalising the draft regulations in the light of the responses to the public consultation and I hope to be in a position to sign the regulations into law later this summer.
