The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment has a broad remit and is responsible for communications, broadcasting, postal services, energy, natural resources, climate change, waste management, air quality and environmental policy. The day-to-day functions of the Department and of the Minister in carrying out this remit, therefore, involve engagement with a broad range of stakeholders, including the Commission for Communications Regulation (Comreg) and the telecommunications operators referenced by the Deputy. My Department informs me that they hold no records of meetings involving my predecessor Deputy Naughten with Comreg regarding pricing structures in the context of the NBP and I have not had any such meetings.
Regarding the Deputy's question regarding telecommunications operators my Department advises that the former Minister met with a representative of BT on 10 January 2018. The matter of the company’s access to public infrastructure in respect of high speed electronic communications was raised in follow up correspondence.
Deputy Naughten also met with eir on 8 May 2018 in relation to the finalisation of the company’s acquisition by NJJ Telecom Europe. During the course of this meeting the matter of the potential use of eir’s infrastructure by the bidder in the NBP procurement process was raised.
Details around both of these meetings have been released under FOI and are available on my Department's website.
