Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Section 25 provides that the Minister may issue a direction to the regulator in relation to the next licence to be granted by the regulator. This amendment provides that a draft licence issued by the regulator as part of a competition for a licence shall require the approval of a Minister prior to it being issued. The purpose of the amendment is to enable the Minister to ensure that the draft licence issued as part of a competitive process fully reflects the direction he issued to the regulator under section 25.

I reiterate it is not envisaged that any such direction would be issued in the context of the competition for the next national licence. It is intended that the competition for the next licence will be determined by my Department prior to the establishment of the office of the regulator, as we discussed. This is for the licence after the next one.