Today marks 40 years since the first mobile phone call was made in Ireland.
On 11 December 1985, the then Minister for Communications Jim Mitchell phoned broadcaster Pat Kenny.
The pair had a brief chat about Mr Kenny's Best Dressed Man of The Year award.
Telecom Eireann entered the world of mobile telephony in 1984 after receiving a licence from the Department of Communications.
Eircell was launched in 1985, and the first mobile call took place on its network.
Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan said that the evolution of telephony and digital communications has been well embraced by Ireland.
"Given the recessionary environment here in 1985 it was a significant feat for Telecom Éireann to invest into a new telecommunications market, 40 years ago," Mr O'Donovan said.
Telecommunications Industry Ireland (TII) is the Ibec representative body for the sector.
"There has been €5bn in network capital investment by the industry over the last eight years, in addition to €2.7bn in annual spend with suppliers in Ireland," said TII Director Nicola Cooke.
"The telecoms sector, which provides direct employment to 24,000 people in Ireland, is also a huge enabler of the economy and wider society, bring connectivity across the whole country," Ms Cooke said.
