Denis Naughten
Ceist:64 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the plans, if any, she has to introduce legislation to ban or restrict the use of telephone sex lines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15383/98]
Vol. 493 No. 1
64 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the plans, if any, she has to introduce legislation to ban or restrict the use of telephone sex lines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15383/98]
Telecom Éireann is already empowered by statute to prohibit the transmission of objectionable messages pursuant to section 96 of the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act, 1983, and I am considering amending this legislation to extend its provisions to other telecommunications operators in the market.
Responsibility for the regulation of the premium rate services market in Ireland, including premium rate sex lines, rests with the regulator of premium rate services whose office comes under the aegis of the Director of Consumer Affairs. The regulator's remit extends to the supervision of the standard of premium rate telephone services as to both content and promotion.