John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 73: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the need to introduce a new utility law to standardise procedures and fees for way leaves and road opening licences across all local authorities in order to reduce the cost of civil works for telecommunications companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37824/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Communications Regulation (Premium Rate Services and Electronic Communications Infrastructure) Act, 2010 provides for the National Roads Authority (NRA) to allow the use of its ducts on national roads, including motorways, for telecoms purposes. It also appoints the NRA as the authority responsible for processing road opening licences by network owners to install equipment in national roads. This represents a streamlining of the process where previously the local authority was the authority for national roads.

Local authorities remain the relevant authority for local and regional roads, in relation to issuing consents to install telecoms infrastructure and equipment in roads.

I am aware of challenges being encountered by network owners as they seek to comply with local authority requirements under the planning code on infrastructure roll out. My officials are engaging on this issue with officials in the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the local authorities to build awareness of the importance of facilitating broadband network roll out.