Vol. 510 No. 1
28 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the changes, if any, she proposes in the methodology used to allocate mobile phone licences; if the procedures to date have been satisfactory; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21210/99]
The licensing of mobile telephone operators is a function of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation and the procedures applied by the director in exercising that function are a matter for the director subject to general legal requirements and to certain requirements laid down in the European Communities (Telecommunications Licences) Regulations, 1998 (S.I. No. 96 of 1998), including the requirement that the licensing procedures be open, non-discriminatory and transparent. I have no proposals to change these requirements at this time.
As the licensing of the third mobile phone operation is subject to legal proceedings, it would not be appropriate to comment on the procedures applied in that case.
