No specific plans have been put in place to improve mobile phone coverage in Doneraile, but a number of upcoming initiatives could help to improve coverage in the black spot as part of a national scheme, a Government minister has said.

In an email, responding to issues raised by the Northern Committee of Cork County Council regarding coverage in Doneraile, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Denis Naughten, said responsibility for mobile phone networks is with the independent Commission for Communications (ComReg), but his department have taken a number of steps to insure coverage across Ireland will improve.

These include the establishment of a mobile phone and broadband taskforce and two regional action groups, regulations that will allow ComReg to proceed with an auction of the 3.6GHz spectrum band in 2017 and €8million in the budget for RTE, which will allow it to free up the 700MHz spectrum band.

“Notwithstanding the independence of ComReg, I am critically aware of the frustration currently being experienced across Ireland, where mobile phone networks are not always delivering the services people expect,” said Mr Naughten.

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