Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 15 Feb 2000

Vol. 514 No. 3

Priority Questions. - Mobile Telephony Services.

Ivan Yates

Ceist:

38 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the discussions, if any, she has had with the office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation on the licensing arrangements for third generation mobile telephony services; if new legislation is required for further licensing; if the office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation has sufficient powers to make these determinations; and if her attention has been drawn to the dissatisfaction and delays experienced by applicant service providers in rolling out their telecommunications infrastructure proposals. [4192/00]

Mrs. O'Rourke:

I have regular meetings with the director on the range of issues for which she has responsibility. On the licensing arrangements for third generation mobile telephony services, I understand the director intends carrying out a public consultation on this issue shortly prior to holding a competition for the award of licences.

The director has sufficient powers to carry out this licensing function. However, new legislation will be required to authorise the use of radio frequency spectrum by the third generation mobile telephony operators and this will take the form of a statutory instrument to be made under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts. The draft instrument is to be developed by the director and will require my consent before it is enacted.

On the question of dissatisfaction and delays being experienced by applicant service providers, I assume the Deputy is referring to the difficulties being experienced by the present operators of second generation mobile telephony systems in obtaining planning permission; I do not know if that is what the Deputy meant. This is a matter, as the Deputy knows, for An Bord Pleanála.

It is not possible to anticipate the difficulties, if any, that may be encountered by licensees in rolling out their third generation mobile networks as the specific requirements in relation to the roll-out of networks have yet to be developed by the director.

Mr. Yates:

By way of clarification, my question relates to the first part of the Minister's answer, not the planning difficulties. Has she received the same representations as I? I have met people from the telecommunications division of IBEC and they complained to me that we went into the deregulation market behind the rest of Europe. For third generation mobile telephony, that is convergence of different types of telecommunications and data services, broadband width. The service providers are anxious to provide services to their customers but the regulator said they could not have a licence for this because new legislation is required. They then went to the Department who said the regulator had adequate powers to do this. I am trying to expedite the process. The first part of the Minister's reply set out a procedure for a statutory instrument and a public consultation process. I ask her or her officials to meet the regulator to try to expedite this process so that we will not lose any further time in the roll-out of third mobile telephony services.

Mrs. O'Rourke:

I have heard the same representations as the Deputy. It is the next step forward which cannot be taken now because of what is perceived by IBEC to be a delay. I understand the director intends carrying out a public consultation, as she does on most of the issues in a very competent manner. She has sufficient powers to carry out the licensing function but legislation will be required, which will be a statutory instrument which she will compile and to which I will give consent. I take the Deputy's point about the urgency of the matter and I will certainly convey that to my officials who I am sure will speak to the director. However, she has her own agenda of work and her own plans and she is not subject to direction of any kind, nor should she be. The office was set up as an independent office. Nevertheless, I will discuss the matter with my officials.