Written answers

Thursday, 13 July 2017

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Brexit Issues

Photo of Timmy DooleyTimmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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1002. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 248 of 25 May 2017, if he will elaborate on the engagement that he mentioned; and the number of meetings that he and his Department have attended regarding the implementation of EU roaming regulations in Northern Ireland following the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union. [33583/17]

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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EU Roam Like at Home took effect by way of EU Regulation on 15 June 2017 and is now in force EU-wide. That includes in Northern Ireland as part of the UK. Therefore until the UK leave the European Union, this EU law has full effect in the UK, including Northern Ireland.

As stated previously, it is not yet possible to say what impact Brexit will have on cross-border roaming charges once the UK formally leaves the Union. That will be largely dependent on the future relationship between the EU and UK, which is a discussion that will follow the current negotiation phase of the Exit Deal.

The position remains that the UK Government White Paper on Brexit sets out that the UK wishes to ensure that the UK telecoms companies can continue to trade as freely and competitively as possible with the EU.

As you will be aware, my officials and I take every opportunity to discuss the potential impacts of Brexit with our EU and UK colleagues, including with the European Commission Article 50 Task Force.

With respect to Northern Ireland specifically, meetings have yet to take place at Ministerial level since the collapse of the Executive back in January. The Irish Government, through the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, continues to work towards the re-establishment of the Northern Ireland Executive and there are ongoing contacts at official level.   

Prior to the collapse of the Northern Ireland Executive, I attended the North South Ministerial Council which convened in November 2016 and included an audit of policy areas impacting North and South, which was to include a range of matters that affect both Northern Ireland and Ireland.

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