Derek McDowell
Ceist:238 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will introduce legislation to deal with the location of telephone masts; and, if so, when this legislation will be introduced. [23051/98]
Written Answers. - Telecommunications Masts.
The erection of telephone masts requires planning permission from the relevant planning authority unless exempted under the Local Government (Planning and Development) Acts and Regulations. I have no proposals, at present, to amend the relevant legislation.
My Department issued Guidelines on Telecommunications Antennae and Support Structures in July 1996. These are intended to assist both planning authorities and An Bord Pleanala as well as operators of mobile telecommunications services and the general public by providing guidance on dealing with telecommunications antennae and support structures within the planning system. A copy of the guidelines is available in the Oireachtas Library.
The guidelines relate primarily to the provision of new masts. Under the Local Government (Planning and Development) Regulations 1997, the addition of antennae for mobile telephony to an existing radio mast, and the replacement of an existing mast, are, subject to certain criteria — restrictions on the size, number and type of mobile phone antenna and compliance with certain emission standards — exempted development. These regulations give statutory support to the policy of co-location which was advocated in the guidelines to avoid unnecessary proliferation of masts.