Communications Regulation Act 2002

57A

F154[Power of High Court to make compliance orders in respect of conditions imposed under section 57.

57A. (1) If, in making a decision under section 57, the Commission has imposed conditions for infrastructure sharing, and it appears to the Commission that a network operator or physical infrastructure provider to whom the decision relates is failing, or has failed, to comply with any of those conditions, the Commission may apply to the High Court to make a compliance order under subsection (5). Such an application is to be by motion.

(2) However, the Commission may make an application under subsection (1) only if

(a) at least one month previously, it has served on the network operator or physical infrastructure provider concerned a notice in writing requiring the operator or provider to comply with a condition imposed by it under section 57 and has given the operator or provider an opportunity to make representations to it about the matter and to comply with the requirement, and

(b) the operator or provider has failed to comply with the requirement.

(3) The High Court may hear the application only if it is satisfied that the Commission has complied with subsection (2)(a) and has served a copy of the application on the network operator or physical infrastructure provider concerned. On being served with a copy of the application, that network operator or physical infrastructure provider becomes the respondent to the application.

(4) The High Court may make such interim or interlocutory order as it considers appropriate pending determination of an application made under subsection (1). The Court may not refuse interim or interlocutory relief merely because the Commission may not suffer damage if relief were not granted pending determination of the application.

(5) On the hearing of an application made under subsection (1), the High Court may make an order requiring the respondent to comply with the relevant section or may refuse the application.

(6) An application for a compliance order may include or be accompanied by a further application for an order directing the respondent to pay to the Commission a financial penalty of such amount as is proposed by the Commission having regard to the circumstances of the non-compliance.

(7) On hearing the further application, the High Court may, having previously been satisfied that the respondent has not complied with a condition imposed under section 57 and having regard to the circumstances surrounding the non-compliance, order the respondent to pay to the Commission a financial penalty of such amount as is specified in the order. The amount can be more or less than the amount proposed by the Commission.

(8) The circumstances referred to in subsection (7) include (but are not limited to) the following:

(a) the duration of the non-compliance;

F155[(b) the effect of the non-compliance on other parties to the relevant decision, to end-users and to end-users of premium rate services.]

(c) the submission of the Commission with respect to what it considers to be the appropriate amount;

(d) any excuse or explanation for the non-compliance provided by the respondent.

(9) If the High Court makes an order under this section, it may make such ancillary orders as it considers appropriate.]

Annotations

Amendments:

F154

Inserted (15.05.2007) by Communications Regulation (Amendment) Act 2007 (22/2007), s. 15, S.I. No. 224 of 2007.

F155

Substituted (9.06.2023) by Communications Regulation and Digital Hub Development Agency (Amendment) Act 2023 (4/2023), s. 131, S.I. No. 299 of 2023.