State nets over €15m from mobile phone masts on Garda stations since 2019

Mobile phone operators have paid the State a total of €15.38 million over the last four years in license fees to use telecommunication masts on Garda stations and buildings across the country.

New figures provided by Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe show that Three Ireland (Hutchinson) — formerly O2 Ireland — has made the largest payout at just over €8 million since the start of 2019.

The figures provided to Social Democrat TD Catherine Murphy, in a written Dáil reply, show that Vodafone Ireland has paid out €3.9m while Meteor Mobile Communications — now known as Eir — has paid out €3.2 million.

Mast infrastructure

The annual breakdown shows that to date this year, the State has received €1.75 million from mobile network operators and this followed payouts of €3.53 million in 2022; €3.4 million in 2021; €3.4 million in 2020 and €3.29 million in 2019.

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The State has earned the revenues from mast infrastructure being erected on more than 180 Garda buildings across the country.

One of the biggest contributors to the State mast revenues has been Stepaside Garda station on Dublin’s southside.

The station was the subject of controversy in 2020 when it was reopened at a cost of €1.5 million almost seven years after closing along with 138 other stations as part of cost-cutting.

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The new figures show that mast use at Stepaside Garda station — even when closed — has generated €295,411 for the State since 2019 with €71,781 raised in 2020 alone.

Only a handful of Garda buildings created more revenue than Stepaside. Garda headquarters at Phoenix Park in Dublin has generated €274,049 while Fitzgibbon Street Garda station brought in €320,573 since 2019.

Attractive deal

Other significant contributors to the include stations located across Dublin at Cabra, Cabinteely, Blanchardstown, Bridewell, Balbriggan, Coolock, Howth, Kilmainham, Lucan, Raheny and Rathmines.

The station-mast deal has proven attractive to mobile phone firms as they have made savings not to have to seek, in the main, planning permission to install masts on Garda stations and stations are often in prime central urban locations.

Deputy Murphy said on Thursday: “Significant income is derived from the issuing of licenses for fixing to the masts and the rental space. I have sought clarification from the Office of Public Works and the way in which the income is accounted for, does it go to the central fund or is it retained from the upkeep, modernisation and retrofitting of Garda stations.”