The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) spent €4.5 million on consultants in its first seven months of operation up to the end of June 2003, reports Jamie Smyth
The regulator for the communications sector also spent €1 million on legal fees during the same period as it fought with Eircom over opening its telecoms network to competition.
The figures are contained in ComReg's annual report for the year ended June 2003, which was published yesterday. The accounts were signed off on June 21st, 2004 by Mr John Doherty, the chairperson of ComReg at that time, but were only recently approved by Cabinet.
A ComReg spokesman said last night that it could only publish the report after it had been submitted to the Dáil.
The accounts are divided into two periods reflecting the establishment of ComReg on December 1st, 2002. They show ComReg spent €6.5 million on consultants and technical advice in the year to June 30th, 2003.
A ComReg spokesman said these payments to consultants and experts were made for inputs into particular documents and advice on particular issues.
In the previous year up to the end of June 2002, ComReg spent €6.8 million on consultants and advice to help it regulate the telecoms and postal sector, according to the annual report.
Staff costs at ComReg were €7.9 million in the year to the end of June 2003, up from €6.2 million a year earlier. Legal fees cost €1.4 million in the period up to the end of June 2003, representing a major fall in the €3.6 million spent on legal services during the previous 12 months.
ComReg produced an operating surplus worth €111.6 million in the 12 months to the end of June 2003, up from €28.8 million a year earlier. This figure was significantly boosted by the sale of three third-generation mobile phone licences to Vodafone, O2 and Hutchison 3G Ireland.
Under legislation, ComReg must pay the surplus it generates to the Exchequer.
The accounts show that Ms Isolde Goggin, ComReg chairwoman, was paid €73,000 in the seven months to the end of June 2003. Mr John Doherty was also paid €73,000.
During the same period, Ms Etain Doyle, who was chairperson of ComReg in June 2003, was paid €96,000. In the previous five months, Ms Doyle was paid €62,165 including arrears and PRSI, according to the report.
Meanwhile, Vodafone Ireland said yesterday it had appointed previous chief executive Mr Paul Donovan as chairman. Mr Donovan replaces Mr Peter Bamford following a restructuring of its European operations, which has seen him take control of 10 Vodafone subsidiaries across Europe, Middle East and Africa.
Vodafone Ireland also appointed Mr Ted Langston, regional finance director of the 10 territory group, to its board. He replaces Mr David Smithwhite, who has stepped down from the board.
