Ireland's three mobile phone network operators are to be asked to explain to the Dáil why their charges are higher than in the rest of Europe.
The Dáil Communications Committee has vowed to get to the root of the high call costs and summoned Vodafone (prefix 087), O2 (086) and Meteor (085) management representatives to a meeting next month.
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The committee chairman, Fianna Fáil TD Mr Noel O'Flynn, declared today: "The whole area of mobile phone charges needs examination and we are determined to conduct a full investigation.
"The companies will be invited to explain why we pay the highest bills in Europe."
The biggest operators, Vodafone and O2, who have more than three million customers between them, have consistently denied high charge allegations, claiming that the big bills are run up in Ireland because Irish customers use their phones more often.
But Mr O'Flynn maintained: "I don't accept that, and believe the high usage here is a valid argument for lower rates to bring us into line with our European Union counterparts.
"New figures show that, on average, Irish consumers pay annual bills of #395 €565, which is €146 more than British customers."
He added: "The companies are saying that we speak more. I am from Cork and live in Blarney, and have the gift of the gab, but I believe there are more questions to be asked here.
"Whether we are paying too much has to be teased out. It is not acceptable, and we are concerned that Irish phone users are not getting value for money."
Mr O'Flynn said they would also seek evidence from the Consumers' Association of Ireland, who have also gone on record to complain about high mobile call charges.