Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 2 May 2001

Vol. 535 No. 2

Written Answers - Telecommunications Services.

Olivia Mitchell

Ceist:

144 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if her attention has been drawn to the urgency of implementing the correct competitive environment for the Irish mobile communications market; and when it is intended that the provisions of the Communications Bill will be implemented. [12457/01]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke):

As Minister with responsibility for the telecommunications sector, it is my intention that Irish consumers benefit from the best possible deal in terms of price, choice and quality in all sectors of the market, including mobile communications, and that competition, as a key enabler of this, is made a priority. Day to day implementation of this policy is a matter for the Director of Telecommunications Regulation.

The existing legislative framework for the sector is largely based on European law and was designed to facilitate the full liberalisation of the sector and the introduction of competition. In the light of technological, market and competitive developments, this framework needs to adapt to these changes. Five new draft directives, which will facilitate an enhanced and adaptive response to the needs of the rapidly developing electronic communications markets, are currently under negotiation within the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament. My Department is actively involved in these negotiations. It is anticipated that the draft directives will be agreed in 2001 and transposed into Irish law as soon as possible thereafter.

In parallel with these EU reforms, legislation is currently being prepared by my Department, which will enable a better match between the regulatory framework and evolving market needs, including the requirement to facilitate and manage competition. The general scheme of the Communications (Regulation) Bill was approved by the Government in March 2001 and has now been sent to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel for drafting. It is available for perusal on my Department's website, at www.dpe.ie. Drafting will be completed over the coming months and the Bill will then be resubmitted for Government approval to publish as the Communications (Regulation) Bill, 2001. It is my intention to seek priority in the drafting of the Bill and to publish it this summer.

Competition in the mobile market will be further enhanced by a competition for four third generation mobile licences due to be held by the director later this year. In order to promote competition at both the infrastructure and service levels, the selection process for one of the proposed licences will include a weighting in favour of allowing access to mobile virtual network operators.