Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2004
132 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his preferred options in respect of the future development of the mobile telephone industry with particular reference to new service providers, competition and the needs of the consumer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5805/04]
Amharc ar fhreagra341 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which the emergence of further competition in the mobile telephone market is likely; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6098/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 341 together.
My preferred option for the mobile sector, and the telecoms sector as a whole, is the creation of conditions for sustainable growth and competition that will benefit the economic and social development of Ireland by providing competitive services.
As Minister for communications, I have overall responsibility for telecoms policy. Since assuming office, my main goal has been to implement this policy in a coherent way using the tools available to me to improve the range and quality of services available to consumers, by facilitating growth and the introduction of more innovation and competition in the sector.
I have recently published draft policy directions which, after the statutory consultation process and subject to any amendments, I propose to give to the Communications Regulator. One of the directions focuses on competition as a key objective for 2004 and one focuses on national roaming.
These draft directions mandate ComReg to: implement where necessary, remedies which counteract or remove barriers to entry and support, in all ways possible, entry by new players to the market and entry into new sectors by existing players; and to use its powers to mandate national roaming on existing GSM networks of incumbent mobile network operators on fair commercial terms subject to relevant requirements under European law.
These directions have been published in draft format for public consultation until Monday 1 March 2004 and I welcome input from both the industry and the public. My message is simple: the more competitive telecoms services that are on offer, the better in the long run for consumers, the sector and the economy as a whole.
