Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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70. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if it will be ensured there will be no additional costs for persons resident here using mobile phones in any part of the island from 1 January 2021 due to the UK leaving the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34505/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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EU "Roam Like at Home" (RLAH) came into effect on 15 June 2017 and provides Irish and EU consumers with the ability to use their mobile devices, within other EU countries, at domestic rates, subject to Fair Use Policy. The RLAH regulation covers data services, voice and SMS.ComReg ( ), the independent telecoms regulator, is responsible for ensuring that all providers meet relevant obligations in areas such as roaming alerts. ComReg also has information for customers in relation to roaming on their website:( https://www.comreg.ie/consumer-information/roaming ). 

Nevertheless, my Department is in ongoing contact with industry and with ComReg and even in a situation where a Brexit deal is not reached at the end of the transition period, it is expected that there  would be no change in consumers' experience of using their mobile phone on the island of Ireland. No operators have indicated that they have any plans to change current arrangements in continuing to apply the current roam like at home regime.

My Department will continue to monitor the situation closely.