Telecoms companies could face fees for poles and ducts on Cork public land

Councillors say private companies should contribute more towards maintaining public land and repairing roads and footpaths affected by utility works

Fianna Fáil councillor George Gill said thousands of telecommunications poles and ducts owned by private operators were located on public land, including roadsides, footpaths and public verges. File picture

Cork County Council is to examine whether telecommunications companies should pay an annual fee for infrastructure occupying council-controlled land.

Councillors unanimously backed a motion calling for a review of telecommunications infrastructure, including poles, ducts, cabinets and associated fixtures owned by private operators.

The motion, proposed by Fianna Fáil councillor George Gill, also calls for a report to members “outlining a proposal for the introduction of an annual occupancy fee for such infrastructure”.

The move comes amid concerns that the council is bearing costs associated with maintaining public land where telecommunications infrastructure is located.

Mr Gill said thousands of telecommunications poles and ducts owned by private operators were located on public land, including roadsides, footpaths and public verges.

“These are public assets. Yet the commercial operators who use them to generate private revenue pay little or nothing to the people of Cork for the maintenance of these assets,” he said.

“But small businesses placing a sign on a footpath pay an annual fee for using public space.”

Mr Gill said the proposal was “not about revenue-raising” but about “fairness, cost recovery, and public value”.

“A nominal fee of even €1 to €2 per pole or duct would recognise the commercial use of public land and help fund maintenance and upgrades within all our municipal district councils,” he said.

“At present, private operators benefit commercially from this infrastructure while contributing little or nothing toward the upkeep of the public land they occupy, at least not on an annual basis.” 

He said the proposal could provide additional funding at a time when councillors were preparing to debate the council's budget for the year ahead.

Calls for utilities to pay for road repairs

The issue of charges for telecommunications infrastructure was raised alongside calls for utility companies to contribute more towards the cost of repairing roads and footpaths damaged by their works.

Fianna Fáil councillor Ann Marie Ahern said she regularly received complaints from constituents about people tripping on footpaths.

“Nine times out of 10 it’s because utility works are subsiding,” she said.

“It’s also the same thing with sinking roads. We get a minimum amount of money back from utilities and the burden (for repairs) falls on the council. A maintenance budget should be imposed by us on these utilities.”

Fianna Fáil council leader Gearoid Murphy said the issue represented a potential source of revenue for the local authority and should be examined.

“They should pay a fee. I propose we send this to our planning SPC (Special Purposes Committee) for further discussion,” he said.

Council assistant chief executive Niall Healy said further policy work was needed on the issue.

He said the local authority “will look at the matter in further detail”.

The calls come as councillors face financial constraints at the council's annual budget process, with additional income needed to fund projects and services.

Among the areas identified as requiring funding are playground improvements, traffic-calming projects and the provision of additional columbarium walls in cemeteries to house the urns of people who have been cremated.