Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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149. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the policy of his Department in relation to the roll-out of 5G telecommunications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35002/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I welcome the roll-out of 5G and the benefits that the enhanced connectivity and technology will bring to sectors such as transport, industry and healthcare. The deployment of 5G networks has already started internationally and will continue to develop in the coming years. The first wave of 5G deployments is being deployed across Irish cities with Vodafone and Eir announcing their first offerings at the end of 2019 and Three Ireland announcing this September that it is switching on its 5G network around the country. While the actual roll-out of 5G in Ireland is primarily a matter for private mobile network operators, who operate on a commercial basis, there are a number of national initiatives underway in Ireland to support connectivity and infrastructure roll-out. These include the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce, work to ensure the timely availability of spectrum for use by 5G services, the availability of test and trial licences from the regulator and indeed the roll-out of the National Broadband plan.