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Telecommunications Services Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 May 2018

Wednesday, 2 May 2018

Ceisteanna (157)

Tony McLoughlin

Ceist:

157. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the work to address mobile phone coverage blackspots which is a measure of the action plan of the mobile phone and broadband task force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18944/18]

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Freagraí scríofa

The Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce was established in July 2016 to examine broadband and mobile phone coverage deficits in Ireland and identify tangible actions to improve the quality of these services.

The Taskforce Report was published in December 2016, and included 40 actions to alleviate barriers to mobile phone reception and broadband access. An Implementation Group was established in 2017 to oversee the delivery of actions in the Taskforce's report and progress updates are published on my Department's website on a quarterly basis at

http://drcd.gov.ie/about/rural/rural-development/national-broadband-plan/.

With regard to mobile phone blackspots, my officials in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, are actively engaged with local authorities and mobile phone operators to identify priority blackspots and take action to address this issue.

During 2017 officials from both Departments worked with a group of local authorities to identify the issues associated with mapping local blackspots. This pilot exercise has been completed.

All local authorities were then asked to identify local blackspots on an online map and to identify infrastructure that could potentially be used to provide additional coverage. At this point, approximately two thirds of local authorities have responded. A number of additional local authorities are in the process of finalising their response, following which a meeting with mobile operators will be convened to progress solutions in identified locations.

A focus group has also been established by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment to provide guidance on categories of locations where high quality reliable mobile coverage should be made available as a priority. The group is aiming to finalise its work by the middle of the year.

In addition, ComReg will shortly launch a scheme for the use of mobile phone repeaters, which will allow householders and businesses to boost signals into their premises, and bring immediate improvements in mobile phone coverage, particularly in rural Ireland.

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