Pat the Cope Gallagher has challenged the Government Ministers Humphreys and Naughten to act immediately on the Broadband Commission’s recommendations and not allow any lengthened timeframes to drag this process out, the Commission report offers real solutions.
“Now is the time to act and now is the time for the Government to commit resources to solving this legacy problem with mobile phone signals and broadband provision.
“I cannot understand why the report suggests that it will take till 2023 to resolve some of the service blackspots, this needs to be addressed and a more realistic timeframe brought forward by the Government,” said Pat the Cope.
The report published by Ministers Humphreys and Naughten and brought before cabinet contains 40 recommendations in order to solve the ongoing difficulties and problems with the lack of broadband and mobile phone signals right throughout the country.
The commission report recommends that each local authority employ an officer to co-ordinate new services provision and assist companies provide new infrastructure within their local authority area, other recommendations are – the blackspot areas where no services are currently available, should be solved by using the 700MHz spectrum band.
Waivers to be introduced by local authorities to make mobile phone companies exempt from development contributions, along with other planning exemptions in order to deliver the needed infrastructure to provide the necessary coverage.
“The 40 recommendations contained in the report – will deliver nothing unless the Government gives real power and authority to the commission report, that will involve sitting doing with all the licence operators and compelling them to deliver to lesser populated areas right throughout the western seaboard,” added Pat the Cope.
“The conditions of the current Licences for mobile phone service providers compels them to provide at least a 75% service on an all-Ireland basis, it does not distinguish between geographical areas or population basis- therein contains the problem for rural areas. The mobile phone operators satisfy their licence conditions by providing signals and full service to larger and well populated areas where signal provision is relatively easy to provide and simply ignore the mountainous terrain of rural areas such as Donegal, this cannot be allowed to continue,” he said.
