Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 February 2025
9. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to address the lack of phone coverage for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3873/25]
View answerThe roll-out of infrastructure for mobile telecommunications services in Ireland is primarily a matter for private mobile network operators, operating on a commercial basis in a liberalised market, regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). ComReg is statutorily independent in the exercise of its functions in accordance with section 11 of the Communications Regulation Act 2002.
To assist consumers to choose the network provider that best meets their needs, ComReg continually updates and enhances its online national outdoor mobile coverage map (available at: coveragemap.comreg.ie/map), which provides clear information on where operators have good 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G coverage.
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.
Outages experienced on the telecom networks can be due to the lack of power to fixed and mobile infrastructure. While many key sites have battery backup to maintain service, once battery capacity was exhausted some network areas would have experienced outages. Deployment of generators maintained connectivity at core sites across the country. For example, the estimated effect of Storm Éowyn on the telecoms networks was the largest in ComReg recording history.
A key focus for government, the National Emergency Coordination Group and all organisations involved is to find ways to support power restoration works that will make the most impact in terms of restoring water, communications and other services.
