'Disgraceful' mobile coverage slammed

The elected members of Cavan County Council are to invite representatives from the country's main mobile providers to speak with them, after the level of coverage in some parts of the region came in for heavy criticism.
If their request is acceded to, this will be the second time telecommunications company top brass will have stood before the councillors to defend existing coverage.
The Council has also indicated its intention to put in writing a formal statement of complaint to industry regulator, COMREG.
The discussion at the March monthly meeting came about on foot of a motion tabled by Fianna Fáil's Clifford Kelly, who said the current situation facing local phone customers was “nothing short of disgraceful”.
He said there were areas between Kingscourt and Bailieborough where coverage was “non existent”, and he was certain the complaint was the same right across the county.
It was his belief that, while the number of people using mobile phones had increased, a commensurate investment in infrastructure to cope with demand had not been forthcoming.
In his own home, Cllr Kelly said he had to go “outside” or “upstairs” in order to make a call or receive coverage. “These companies are collecting a large amount of money and it's clear they are noting putting anything back into it,” he said.
His motion was supported by party colleagues Shane P O'Reilly, Sean Smith and Fergal Curtin, the latter stating that connectivity was “vital” for rural areas. “The sooner we organise some meeting the better,” he sounded.
Further support was forthcoming from Sinn Féin's Damien Brady and Fine Gael's Paddy Smith.