Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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1283. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason both the Kilberry and Kildangan areas of County Kildare have bad mobile phone coverage; and his plans to alleviate these ongoing issues. [35405/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1288. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures he is taking regarding poor mobile phone coverage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35472/17]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1292. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will address a matter regarding phone coverage for persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35696/17]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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1305. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the progress made on the provision of better mobile signals within County Donegal since the Government's recent strategy report on same; his further plans to encourage mobile phone operators to increase their service availability in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36123/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1283, 1288, 1292 and 1305 together.

The provision of telecommunications services, including mobile phone and broadband services, is a matter for the service providers concerned which operate in a fully liberalised market regulated by the independent Regulator of the telecommunications sector, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). I do not have a statutory authority to require commercial companies to rollout services to particular locations.

Any customer across Ireland who experiences service difficulties should raise the matter with the service provider in the first instance. If this fails to resolve matters, customers can and should refer a complaint to ComReg, which will investigate the service provider's compliance with its contractual obligations.

Notwithstanding the independence of ComReg, I recognise the frustration experienced across Ireland where telecommunications networks are not always delivering the services people expect. In that regard, 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 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 National Broadband Plan State intervention. The December 2016 report of the Taskforce is available on my Department's website.

The Task Force worked with Departments, local authorities, ComReg, State agencies, the telecoms industry and other key stakeholders to produce the report which contains 40 actions to alleviate some of the telecommunications deficits across Ireland. An Implementation Group has been established to drive and monitor implementation of the actions, bringing together all key stakeholders responsible for delivery.  On 20 July, I published the second quarterly progress report, which is available on my Department's website. It shows that the momentum built up in Q1 has continued, with further good progress made in Q2. I am also pleased at the sustained level of engagement between action owners and industry.

This work will also assist local authorities in preparing for the roll-out of the new NBP network once contracts are in place.

In addition, following regulations which I signed last year, ComReg’s recent announcement of the results of its auction for the 3.6GHz radio spectrum band will mean an 86% increase in spectrum capacity to meet the growing demand for mobile and wireless broadband services across rural and urban areas. The award of 15 year licences for the rights of use in this band will provide stability and create future investment certainty. Spectrum was also awarded in lots covering 9 urban and rural regions across Ireland.

Commercial investment by mobile operators has resulted in improved services, following ComReg's multi-band spectrum auction in 2012. At least one operator now has in excess of 90% 4G population coverage. However, as mobile services are a radio-based technology, services can be affected by topography, quality of handsets and the capacity of the network, as well as by proximity to mobile telephone antennas.