Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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280. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on and position, not ComReg's, following the decision by certain mobile phone operators to circumnavigate the recent European directive designed to lower and standardise roaming rates for Irish citizens on the Continent; the action he will take to ensure that the directive is adhered to by Irish-based operators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12277/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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EU "Roam Like at Home" (RLAH) will give Irish and EU consumers the ability to use their mobile devices, within other EU countries, at domestic rates, subject to Fair Use Policy, from 15 June 2017.

Throughout negotiations at EU level on this initiative, including at the EU Council of Ministers, Ireland has been fully supportive of the Roam Like at Home principle, and, in particular, the importance of obtaining a sustainable agreement for business and consumers alike.

The new EU rules clearly cover data services, along with voice and SMS. There is no exemption for the data services, only exceptional limits in case of unlimited or very competitive offers.

I would expect all mobile operators to be fully compliant with Irish and EU legislation, including Roam Like at Home from 15 June 2017.

The European Commission is currently collaborating with National Regulatory Authorities to provide detailed guidance on how Roam Like at Home can be introduced at retail level and is also working closely with consumer organisations across the EU (BEUC).

The Irish Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, is the competent statutorily independent regulatory authority for Telecoms and as such will be the authority which will regulate the Roam Like At Home regime in Ireland from 15 June 2017. ComReg will have a role in scrutinising all existing and new mobile market offerings to ensure full legal and regulatory compliance.

As ComReg are statutorily independent in the exercise of its functions, I have no authority to intervene in those functions.