Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce

The Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce ('the Taskforce') was established in 2016, based on a commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to identify immediate solutions to broadband/mobile phone coverage deficits, and to investigate how better services could be provided to consumers prior to full build and rollout of the network planned under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) State intervention .

Throughout its Work Programme from 2017 to 2019, the Taskforce addressed more than 70 targeted actions, bringing lasting change around Ireland, and reducing the urban / rural digital divide so that all citizens can benefit from enhanced connectivity.

Over its three-year lifespan, the actions of the Taskforce have included:

• Helping to identify where infrastructure is most needed
• Reducing both the administrative and capital cost of deploying certain telecoms infrastructure, and
• Providing citizens, businesses and the telecommunications industry with greater transparency as to where services are available

The Taskforce has been a model example of what can be achieved when the necessary structures are in place to facilitate open dialogue amongst a diverse range of stakeholders, spanning industry, local authorities, Government agencies and rural communities across Ireland. All quarterly, annual and review reports of the 2017-2019 Work Programme of the Taskforce are accessible on the Government of Ireland website. A three year review of the previous Work Programme of the Taskforce, which reflects on all of its previous work and achievements, was also published.

The Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce was re-established on 15 December 2021 with a meeting of the State stakeholders, co-chaired by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD and Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Ossian Smyth TD. All key State stakeholders attended, including the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) and ComReg, acting as an independent advisor to the Taskforce. Minutes from the meeting are available on the Government of Ireland website.

Since this first meeting, Senior Officials in both the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) and the Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) have met with various stakeholders of the Taskforce, including ComReg and representatives from the telecommunications industry in relation to the priority areas of focus.

Specific actions for delivery in the short, medium and long-term have been identified in the context of working to develop the new Work Programme of the Taskforce. This would help to ensure that, where barriers to telecoms infrastructure rollout within the State's control are identified, appropriate assessment and intervening measures would be identified and action taken.

Key priority areas the Work Programme 2022-2025 of the Taskforce addressed include:

• Improving outdoor mobile phone coverage in both rural and urban areas
• Ensuring the efficient use of infrastructure and assets to support the rollout of telecoms networks
• Removing remaining barriers in permit granting, planning and licencing procedures, and
• Improving both the quality and availability of information to consumers regarding telecoms products and services on the market

This has helped to support the roll out of the National Broadband Plan and the deployment of high quality networks by other operators providing fixed and mobile data and telephony services, not least in rural areas, but right across the country.

The full Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce met on 27 April 2022. Attendees included the State stakeholders, ComReg, the ASAI and telecoms industry representatives, and the meeting was co-chaired by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD and Minister of State Ossian Smyth TD. The purpose of the meeting was to finalise the new Work Programme for the first of three years of the re-constituted Taskforce, and to confirm each of the stakeholders' agreement to leading on the implementation of actions assigned to them and supporting on other actions as required. Timelines for delivery of the various actions were also agreed. Minutes from the meeting are available on the Government of Ireland website.

A number of the Taskforce actions included in the 2022-2025 Work Programme implemented relevant EU Connectivity Toolbox best practices. These are special measures, developed at European Union level, to facilitate the improvement of timelines and conditions for telecoms infrastructure deployment and to aid economic recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Best practices relevant to the Taskforce relate to the further streamlining of permitting and licensing procedures, and the improvement of access to information regarding the availability of assets.

The Work Programme for 2022-2025 of the Taskforce is available below, along with its associated Terms of Reference and the Annual Report for 2022-2023. The Work Programme will be reviewed and updated, and an Annual Report published each year for the lifetime of the Taskforce.

A revised Work Programme for 2024-2025 was launched on 16 May 2024 at the first biannual meeting of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce for 2024.

At the previous biannual meeting that took place on 15 November 2023, Minister of State, Ossian Smyth TD, invited Taskforce members to submit proposals for actions to be included in a revised Work Programme.

Following extensive stakeholder engagement in the first quarter of 2024, a new Work Programme was agreed. As a result of this process, the Work Programme 2024-2025 adopts a new structure that streamlines the work of the Taskforce under four high-level actions. However, the overarching priorities of the Taskforce remain the same.

The National Stakeholder Forum is an opportunity for all stakeholders - public sector, private sector, community, representative groups and others - to network, discuss sectoral developments and feed into the formation of the Taskforce Work Programme.

The National Stakeholder Forum, which last took place at 1 Windmill Lane on 15 February 2023, featured presentations on 'Connectivity as an enabler for balanced regional development' by Brian Looney, Broadband Officer, Co. Kerry and 'Connectivity as an enabler of innovation' by Seán Moynihan, CEO of ALONE.

The slides presented at the forum are available below: