ComReg publishes its Strategy Statement for 2025-2027

The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) has published its 2025 – 2027 Strategy Statement. The ComReg Strategy Statement was launched at a conference hosted by ComReg entitled: “Securing the Digital Future” in Croke Park on June 18. ComReg is entering a period of significant change and is getting new responsibilities. ComReg has recently been given – and expects over the lifetime of this Strategy Statement to be assigned – new responsibilities in such areas as the European Accessibility Act, the Data Act, the second Network and Information Systems (NIS2) Directive, the Critical Entities Resilience (CER) Directive, and the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act. As a result of these new responsibilities, ComReg will be active in new sectors with new stakeholders, both in Ireland and across Europe. In light of this, the Strategy Statement has regard to a number of existing Government and EU statements, including:

• The Digital Connectivity Strategy for Ireland, which aims for all Irish households and businesses to be covered by a Gigabit network by no later than 2028, and all populated areas to be covered by 5G by no later than 2030.

• The European Commission (EC) Digital Decade connectivity targets, as localised in the Digital Decade Policy Programme – Ireland’s National Strategic Roadmap.

• The European Parliament and Council Radio Spectrum Policy Program (RSPP) which established a multiannual radio spectrum policy programme, and the related Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG) opinion on the focus of the next RSPP.

• The Programme for Government 2025 – Securing Ireland’s Future, which commits to tackling mobile phone and broadband blackspots, publishing and implementing a National Digital Strategy, and delivering a National Cybersecurity Strategy.

Launching the Strategy Statement, ComReg Chairperson Garrett Blaney said:  “Communications and cloud are integral technologies to our daily lives. These sectors form the backbone of the wider digital economy in which Ireland is a key player. ComReg’s traditional role as telecoms regulator will be augmented with new responsibilities, for example, as the competent authority in the State on resilience in respect of critical entities in the digital infrastructure sector under the CER Directive, ComReg will have regard to the National Strategy for the Resilience of Critical Entities which the Department of Defence Office of Emergency Planning will deliver in Q1 2026. ComReg’s new strategy sets out our objectives as we navigate evolving regulation in a fast-changing sector.” Welcoming the launch of the ComReg Strategy Statement, Minister Patrick O’Donovan TD said:  “I welcome ComReg's new Strategy Statement being launched at today's conference. Now more than ever, the communications, security, digital and data sectors are facing into periods of significant change and challenge. We need ComReg to be proactive with driving transition and transformation in the electronic communications sectors. I hope ComReg’s new strategy statement will, over the next two years, help them deliver on their mission to implement effective regulation that supports the delivery of widespread, modern, and resilient networks, products, and services to the benefit of Ireland’s consumers and businesses.” Read the Strategy Statement