Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 November 2004
258 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Finance if he will report on the procedures and criteria whereby telecommunications masts on Garda stations are also used by private companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26900/04]
View answerIn 1997, the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Minister for Finance and the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána entered into a non-exclusive agreement with O2 Ireland Limited, formerly Esat Digifone Limited, with regard to the erection of telecommunications equipment on certain Garda premises. Under the terms of the licence agreement, O2 Ireland Limited was allowed to install telecommunications equipment on certain Garda premises for an initial term of five years. O2 pays a licence fee to the Commissioners of Public Works in respect of all premises where such equipment is located. In addition, O2 provided some telecommunications equipment for Garda purposes as part of the overall agreement.
Under the agreement, O2 had an option to renew the agreement for a second five-year term and it exercised this option in 2002. At present, O2 Ireland Limited is the only mobile operator that has equipment installed on Garda masts. However, the Commissioners of Public Works are in consultation with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Garda authorities with regard to the terms and conditions of an agreement under which all interested mobile operators would be allowed to install equipment on Garda premises in the future.
