asked the Minister for Communications whether he has received an application on a joint venture basis for a licence to establish a second cellular network for Ireland; and the criteria which he will apply to the application.

I have received an application, on a joint venture basis, for a licence to operate a second cellular network for Ireland.

Section 111 (1) of the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act, 1983, empowers me, with the consent of the Minister for Finance and after consultation with Telecom Éireann, by order, to license the operation of such a service if, in my opinion, this is in the public interest and is consistent with the reasons given in section 87 (2) of the 1983 Act for granting an exclusive privilege to Telecom Eireann to provide public telecommunications services within the State. These are the criteria, together with frequency spectrum management considerations, which I will apply to this licence application.

Does the Minister mean that the exclusive privilege of Telecom Éireann will be applied by him to rule out a second cellular network? The Minister referred to that exclusive privilege but did not indicate what it meant with regard to such an application.

I have not decided either for or against the application before me and it is being considered at the moment. However, I am reluctant to make any decision that would damage the operations and the privileges inherent in the monopoly of Telecom Éireann.

Does that extend to cellular radio which in most countries is being developed with participation from outside of the national telecommunications monopoly?

That is a separate question which the Deputy may wish to table.

It is not a separate question. I am asking what criteria would apply to an application and this is central to the question.

You are asking me now about the radio side rather than the cellular network.

Question No. 8, please.

The Minister has accepted that it is a legitimate question but he did not answer it.

The Chair has no control over such matters.

The Minister was about to answer it.

Whatever decisions are made in relation to the network in Ireland, my priority at all times will be to protect the monopoly of Telcom Éireann.

Is the Minister aware that that is in conflict with European Commission policy in this area?

Order, please. I want to call Deputy Martin Cullen.

Would the Minister not accept that it is in the public interest to have competition in this area? Indeed, within the EC there will be changes in this area because of new competition laws. Would the Minister not agree that there is an opportunity now for him to introduce competition, that he should look at it in that light rather than in a protective way and that a monopoly for Telecom Éireann is the wrong way to go about it?

There will be changes in this and in many other areas but at this time my bias is in favour of Telecom Éireann.