Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 384: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources when the charging arrangements for special cases currently being considered by ComReg in its consultation (details supplied) will be finalised; the reason the proposed reasonable access threshold of €7,000 is so low; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5785/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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Under the European Communities (Electronic Communications Networks and Services)(Universal Service and Users Rights) Regulations of 2003, SI 308 of 2003, the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, may specify requirements to be complied with by a designated undertaking for the provision of certain basic telecommunications services, with my consent as Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.

ComReg issued a decision notice and response to the consultation document to which the Deputy refers in September 2005, which was ComReg's document 05/70. This decision notice issued following my approval of their recommendation to me last summer that a threshold level of €7,000 for expenditure for connection to the public telephone network be deemed to be reasonable and proportionate. ComReg's recommendation followed a review, which included a public consultation undertaken by them in March of 2005 and discussions with eircom as the designated universal service obligations provider. I understand from ComReg that the number of applications received for service which would exceed the threshold of €7,000 is minimal.