Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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605. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if the coverage conditions of existing liberalised use mobile licences will be within the scope of the review in task force action 40; his plans to publish the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24764/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The provision of telecommunications services, including mobile phone services, is a matter for the service providers concerned who operate in a fully liberalised market regulated by the independent Regulator of the telecommunications sector, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). In that regard, the management of radio spectrum is a statutory function of ComReg. I understand that licences issued by ComReg impose terms and conditions on mobile network operators which include minimum population coverage obligations, however given ComReg’s independence, I have no statutory function in this matter.

Notwithstanding ComReg's independence, I am critically aware of the frustration currently being experienced across Ireland where telecommunications networks are not always delivering the services people expect. Recognising this frustration, I specifically included in the Programme for Government a commitment to a Mobile Phone and Broadband Task Force. In July 2016, I established the Task Force together with Minister Humphreys to identify immediate solutions to broadband and mobile phone coverage deficits and investigate how better services could be provided to consumers prior to the full build and roll-out of the network planned under the NBP State intervention. The report of the Task Force was published in December and is available on my Department's website.

In producing this report, the Task Force worked with Departments, local authorities, ComReg, State agencies, the telecoms industry and other key stakeholders. The report contains 40 actions that will alleviate some of the telecommunications deficits across Ireland and the implementation programme on mobile phone and broadband access identifies 19 of these actions as areas where immediate and direct action by Departments and State agencies can ensure accelerated benefits to consumers.

Implementation of the actions identified by the Taskforce will allow the business opportunities and benefits that the growth in the digital economy is bringing, to be felt across the entire country. It will also assist in the creation of a digital infrastructure that can support this growth, and that can provide nationwide coverage with sufficient capacity to ensure that data can flow at the volume, speed and reliability required to meet the demands of modern life. Implementation of these actions will also assist local authorities in preparing for the roll-out of the new NBP network once contracts are in place.

In respect of Action 40, my Department - in conjunction with Minister Humphreys’ Department, local authorities and mobile operators - is considering the issue of blackspots with a view to including recommendations on appropriate initiatives. At this stage of the work, I am not in a position to comment on potential recommendations.

In order to maintain momentum created by the Task Force, I, together with Minister Humphreys, have established an Implementation Group. This group is driving and monitoring the implementation of the actions, bringing together all key stakeholders identified in the Task Force report with responsibility for delivery. This group will be formally reporting every 90 days on progress made on all actions to both myself and Minister Humphreys.

The first meeting of the Implementation Group took place on 8 March, and was followed by a series of bilateral meetings with action holders.  These discussions have formed the basis of the first quarterly progress report, which I, together with Minister Humphreys, expect to publish shortly. This report will show that considerable progress has been made, particularly in relation to the implementation of actions identified for Q1 2017.

The Implementation Group is also tasked with comprehensively reviewing progress made after twelve months, and producing an annual report summarising progress across all actions. The Group is also mandated to recommend further actions that would result in an improved service for consumers.