Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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141. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which mobile telephone services remain good when compared with other European Union member states or adjoining countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41653/24]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Providing telecommunication services is a matter for the relevant service providers, operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communication Regulation (ComReg) as independent Regulator. Mobile coverage obligations are set out in licences granted by ComReg, to mobile operators who advise that the current minimum coverage obligations are being exceeded by all operators.

ComReg completed a Multi-band Spectrum Award in January 2023 to assign long term rights of use in four spectrum bands to enable the market to provide improved services to meet increasing consumer demand for mobile data and new services. This award represents a 46% increase in the harmonised spectrum assigned for the provision of wireless broadband services in Ireland and includes significant coverage obligations for operators.

ComReg has also developed an online national outdoor coverage map and app to provide clear information on where mobile operators have good coverage. The map will continue to be updated quarterly. See coveragemap.comreg.ie/map for more details.

My Department worked with EU Member States to develop the EU Connectivity Toolbox, a collection of best practices which Member States can implement at national level to lower the cost of deploying very high-speed networks in order to foster better connectivity across the EU, which is being implemented via the work programme of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce. The best practices include streamlining administrative and permitting granting procedures, and improving access to State assets.

Ireland compares well with other European Union Member States under the indicators set by the EU Digital Decade Policy Programme which has targets to improve connectivity to 2030.