Dr. Gary Healy:

Each local authority has different rules around levies and bonds, and while some local authorities are approachable in terms of giving us access to sites for masts, others are less approachable. For example, Kerry County Council's development plan prohibits masts being erected within 1 km of where people are. This is a difficulty for us. As an industry we have spoken to Kerry County Council and the prohibition is under review. We would like it to be removed because if affects how we roll out our networks. Sometimes, we cannot get the optimal site due to local authorities' restrictions. We have had challenges as an industry in dealing with the OPW in terms of finding and maintaining sites. We are willing to engage with all State agencies, including the NRA and OPW.

We have found that engagement with local authorities and State agencies has been more challenging than we would have liked. This has caused difficulties, for example when a State agency has a property that might solve a blackspot problem but will not give us access to it. There might be local protests because people do not want a site nearby or there might be a conservation area, and we must take this into consideration. Sometimes blackspots are caused by physical factors, in that a particular geographical location is very difficult for reception and coverage, but sometimes we cannot get the site we want. A more consistent framework for State agencies and local authorities would help us to identify this. Although we work very hard as an industry top engage with local authorities and State agencies to get co-operation, it is a challenge.