Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

The question of ensuring access to telecommunications infrastructure is a matter for ComReg as part of its function of regulating the telecommunications markets in accordance with the requirements of the EU regulatory framework for electronic communications. ComReg is independent in the exercise of its regulatory functions and is required by law to exercise its powers impartially and transparently. Under the access directive of the EU regulatory framework, ComReg is required to ensure access and interconnection between telecommunications operators in order to promote efficiency and sustainable competition and provide the maximum benefit to end users. These are legal obligations under EU and national law, which ComReg is required to enforce.

There are a number of telecommunications networks owned by the State or by commercial State bodies that are available to telecommunication service providers on an open-access basis. Some 87 metropolitan area networks, MANs - constructed by my Department, in conjunction with local and regional authorities and offering dark fibre and managed services - are available on an open-access basis to all service providers. There are currently 35 service providers using the MANs in some of these locations.

ESB Telecoms, ESBT, has built over 1,300 km of optical fibre network, which was grant-aided by my Department from Exchequer and European regional development funds. ESBT offers dark fibre and managed bandwidth services to any service provider requiring backhaul connectivity on its network. Aurora Telecom, a division of Bord Gáis Éireann, offers dark fibre on its network to service providers on an open-access basis. The importance of open access for competition in the telecommunications market has been continually highlighted by me in policy statements governing electronic communications. I referred to it most recently in my policy paper, Next Generation Broadband - Gateway to a Knowledge Ireland.

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