Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 99: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if mobile telephone charges here are the highest in Europe; his policy initiatives to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8459/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I have no function in setting pricing for phone services. The regulation of telecommunications operators, including pricing for mobile services, is the responsibility of the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, in accordance with the requirements of the Communications Regulation Act 2002 and regulations made under the EU regulatory framework for electronic communications.

As Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, I have responsibility for overall telecoms policy, and my main goal in this policy is to create conditions for sustainable growth and competition that will benefit the economic and social development of Ireland by providing competitive services. It is my belief that improving the market conditions to enhance competition is the best way to drive down mobile phone charges to the end user. The more competitive telecoms services that are on offer, the better in the long run for consumers, the sector and the economy.

In March 2004 my predecessor issued policy directions to ComReg, including a direction on competition. The direction on competition mandates ComReg to focus on competition as a key objective, with a particular focus on competition in the fixed and mobile markets, and to implement, where necessary, remedies which counteract or remove barriers to entry and support entry by new players to the market and entry into new sectors by existing players and also to have particular regard to the following: market share of new entrants; ensuring that the applicable margin attributable to a product at the wholesale level is sufficient to promote and sustain competition; price level to the end user; and the potential of alternative technology delivery platforms to support competition.

ComReg has, as one of its key objectives, under the Communications Regulation Act 2002, the promotion of competition in the exercise of its functions. Competition in the fixed and mobile markets will drive down prices for consumers.

I have no information to say that Irish mobile charges are generally the highest in Europe. However, ComReg's quarterly key data for the Irish communications market for Q3 2004 indicate that the Irish mobile operators' average revenue per user is the second highest in Europe; Switzerland has the highest.

The Deputy will be aware that ComReg proposes to introduce new measures in 2005 to stimulate competition in the mobile market following its recent determination that Vodafone and O2 have joint dominance in the wholesale mobile access and call origination market. These measures may include requiring Vodafone and O2 to open their networks to mobile virtual network operators and requiring that existing national roaming arrangements be maintained.