I propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 29, 51 and 52 together.
The terms of the value added service (VAS) licence issued to ESAT Communications Ltd. are identical to those contained in any other such licence. They are too detailed to go into here but I will arrange for a specimen to be placed in the library of the House for perusal by Deputies. The ESAT licence issued in December 1992 on payment of the fee of £1,000.
VAS licence holders are entitled to provide certain telecommunications services that are not within the exclusive privilege of Telecom Éireann. These include voice services on lines leased from Telecom Éireann as long as these services do not amount to "voice telephony" within the meaning of the Telecommunications Services Regulations 1992, which transposed Directive 90/387/EEC on the establishment of the internal market for telecommunications services through open network provisions, into Irish law. Voice telephony so defined remains within the exclusive privilege of Telecom Éireann as set out in S.87 of the Postal and Telecommunications Act of 1983.
Following consultation with the Attorney General's office and with EC Commission officials, I was satisfied that what was proposed by ESAT does not infringe the voice telephony monopoly of Telecom Eireann and I so informed the company. Telecom Éireann subsequently agreed to provide leased lines to ESAT as required by the terms of the 1992 Regulations.