Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 538: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the law regarding the placing of mobile phone masts and generators next to residential developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26037/07]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 542: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the guidelines that have been issued to local authorities for use in considering planning applications for telecommunications infrastructure. [26475/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 538 and 542 together.

The legislative framework for development consent is set out in the Planning and Development Acts 2000 — 2006. In general, planning permission must be sought for the erection of an antenna support structure or mast, and generators, subject to certain exemptions, as set out in the planning regulations under the above Acts.

In addition to the legal framework, my Department also provides policy guidance for planning authorities through the Guidelines on Telecommunications Antennae and Support Structures. The Guidelines, which are available on my Department's website http://www.environ.ie, are designed to support planning authorities in implementing Government policy in rolling out telecommunications services in an efficient and effective manner.

The Guidelines advise that in development plan policies, planning authorities should indicate their acceptance of the need for a high quality telecommunications service. They further advise that visual impact considerations should be taken into account when considering planning applications for masts and associated infrastructure, they set out a locational hierarchy in relation to the siting of radio masts, and advise that free-standing masts should only be located within or in the immediate surrounds of smaller towns or villages as a last resort.

The Commission for Communications Regulation is responsible for ensuring that telecommunications operators comply with their licence conditions relating to non-ionising radiation. It is also the function of the Commission to ensure that all operators are compliant with international guidelines for general exposure to electromagnetic fields from telecommunications masts and antennae. Planning authorities have no function in this matter.

Under the standard licence conditions, a telecommunications operator must notify the Commission for Communications Regulation of the location (including geographic coordinates) of new base stations. The locations of the sites are published by the Commission for Communications Regulation in map form for public viewing on the website http://www.askcomreg.ie/ mobile/.