Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Question 536: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will amend planning regulations to ensure that statutory undertakers must in future apply for planning permission to erect telecommunications masts and not be able to avail of existing exemptions. [11714/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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In general, planning permission must be sought for the erection of an antenna support structure or mast, whether proposed by a statutory undertaker or otherwise. The Planning and Development Regulations 2001, however, set out certain exemptions in this area including, subject to certain conditions, the attachment of additional antennae to an existing antenna support structure, the erection of an antenna support structure in place of an existing antenna support structure and the attachment of antennae to certain existing structures, such as telegraph poles, electricity pylons and certain public or commercial buildings. These regulations were the subject of extensive debate in the Joint Committee on the Environment and Local Government and were subsequently approved by both Houses.

The report of the Joint Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources on non-ionising radiation from mobile phone handsets and masts in 2005 recommended inter alia that planning guidelines and planning exemptions be examined with a view to ensuring that no electromagnetic emissions or radio frequency emissions emitting equipment be permitted to be sited near health centres, schools or other sensitive sites such as playgrounds or pitches, etc. On receipt of the joint committee's report, the Government, in September 2005, approved the establishment of an interdepartmental advisory committee and an expert group, working to the committee, on the health effects of electromagnetic fields. My Department is represented on the committee. It is understood that the committee expects to report to the Government before the end of 2006 on the appropriate action to be taken on foot of the recommendations contained in the report. Pending this it is not proposed to amend the planning regulations.