Eamonn Coghlan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for having to leave the meeting but I had to vote on some important issues in the Seanad. The issue I wish to raise has been alluded to in some of the responses so far.

I live on the west side, just outside the Phoenix Park, and there are days when I have to go outside just to answer my mobile phone, whereas my son is able to answer his phone in the house because he uses a different operator. My neighbours have made representations to me about the mobile phone service. I live in a cul-de-sac with 20 homes, all paying the upper rate of property tax, but we receive anything between 0.7 and 0.9 at the very best.. At the top of the street there are thousands of homes built during the 1990s and 2000s and they have high fibre optic cable. Representation has been made to the service provider, which has communicated that they do not have any plans to work on this cul-de-sac, even though the map on the website indicates that coverage is available in the area. The service provider is saying the lack of service is due to the copper wiring in the area. Another service provider which is interested in the business states that it is not economically worthwhile for it to provide fibre optic cable in a street with 20 homes. I have made representations to the service providers, but I have not obtained an answer to the question as to who is responsible for upgrading this particular blackspot. Is it the service provider, ComReg or the Department? I would like to give the people who made representations to me an answer on dealing with the issue in the short, medium and long term.