Hayes calls on Irish mobile providers to ditch roaming charges for Summer 2016

Fine Gael MEP for Dublin, Brian Hayes, has today (Sunday) called on Irish mobile phone providers to abolish roaming charges by Summer 2016. The Dublin MEP made his comments as mobile provider EIR (formerly Eircom) confirmed they were abolishing their roaming charges in time for this Summer.

“Under EU law the abolition of roaming charges will become a reality from Summer 2017. From next month the cost of roaming will be reduced again, as part of the phasing out agreement.  Irish people who use their mobile phones abroad after 30^th April will now pay the domestic price plus a maximum of 5 cent a minute to make a call, 2 cent to send a text and 5 cent per megabyte of data.

“While any reduction is welcome I am calling on providers to bring forward the abolition of these rip-off charges.

“Despite our best efforts to limit our usage, Irish customers will still face charges higher than normal. These rip-off charges have existed long enough and there is now an opportunity for mobile providers in Ireland to get ahead of the rest of Europe by agreeing to abolish roaming charges in time for this Summer,” concluded MEP Hayes.