Telecommunications (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1996

Number 34 of 1996

TELECOMMUNICATIONS (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) ACT 1996

REVISED

Updated to 1 June 2025

This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the Telecommunications (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1996. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under the Law Reform Commission Act 1975 (3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation of statute law.

All Acts up to and including Finance (Provision of Access to Cash Infrastructure) Act 2025 (4/2025), enacted 20 May 2025, and all statutory instruments up to and including Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2025 (S.I. No. 244 of 2025), made 4 June 2025, were considered in the preparation of this Revised Act.

Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act, the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees, undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email to

revisedacts@lawreform.ie.


Number 34 of 1996


TELECOMMUNICATIONS (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) ACT 1996

REVISED

Updated to 1 June 2025


ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Section

1.

Interpretation.

2.

Director of Telecommunications Regulation. (Repealed)

3.

Functions of Director. (Repealed)

4.

Transfer of functions from Minister to Director. (Repealed)

5.

Staff and other resources. (Repealed)

6.

Levies and fees. (Repealed)

7.

Tariff regulation.

8.

Issue of shares, etc.

9.

Miscellaneous agreements.

10.

Employee directors. (Repealed)

11.

Amendment of Principal Act. (Repealed)

12.

Authorised officers.

13.

Offences.

14.

Repeals. (Repealed)

15.

Laying of orders.

16.

Expenses.

17.

Short title and commencement.


FIRST SCHEDULE

Office of Director of Telecommunications Regulation

SECOND SCHEDULE

Transfer of Functions From Minister to Director

Part I

Acts Under Which Functions are Transferred

Part II

Statutory Instruments Under Which Functions are Transferred

THIRD SCHEDULE

Repeals

Part I

Part II


Number 34 of 1996


TELECOMMUNICATIONS (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) ACT 1996

REVISED

Updated to 1 June 2025


AN ACT TO MAKE PROVISION FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OFFICE OF DIRECTOR OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATION, FOR THE TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS FROM THE MINISTER TO THE DIRECTOR, FOR THE IMPOSITION OF A LEVY ON PROVIDERS OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES, AND FOR THE REGULATION OF TARIFFS FOR CERTAIN TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES, TO AMEND THE POSTAL AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES ACT, 1983, AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS. [10th December, 1996]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:

Annotations

Modifications (not altering text):

C1

Functions transferred and references to Minister of and Department for Environment, Climate and Communications construed as Minister of and Department for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (1.06.2025) by Telecommunications (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2025 (S.I. No. 237 of 2025), arts. 2, 3, in effect as per art. 1(2), subject to transitional provisions in arts. 4-8.

2. (1) The administration and business in connection with the exercise, performance or execution of any functions transferred by Article 3 are transferred to the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

(2) References to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications contained in any Act or any instrument made under an Act and relating to any administration and business transferred by paragraph (1) shall, from the commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

3. (1) The functions vested in the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications –

(a) by or under the Acts or provisions of the Acts mentioned in Part 1 of the Schedule,

(b) Under the Regulations or provisions of the Regulations mentioned in Part 2 of that Schedule,

are transferred to the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

(2) References to the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications contained in any Act or instrument made under such Act and relating to any functions transferred by this Article shall, from the commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

...

Note change of name of Minister for and Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to

Culture, Communications and Sport (2.06.2025) by Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2025 (S.I. No. 236 of 2025), in effect as per art. 1(2).