Arqiva, BT and Eircom are among the companies shortlisted to provide a €100 million digital radio network to the Republic's emergency services.

The Department of Finance has shortlisted a number of bidders to provide a new integrated communications network for the Garda, ambulance, fire and marine rescue services, known as "blue light" services.

The favoured bidders include a consortium led by Arqiva, formerly NTL Broadcast, as well as telecoms companies BT, Eircom and O2. The Government is likely to make a final decision on the bids towards the end of the year and the successful company will then begin rolling out the new network in early 2007.

Arqiva chief executive Pat Walls said yesterday that a new network would require an investment in the region of €100 million. Under the terms of the deal proposed by the Government, the successful bidder will build, own, operate and maintain the network.

The Arqiva consortium includes Lockheed Martin and Italian operator Selex. Mr Walls said yesterday the new system, which will bring the Republic into line with other EU countries, would be a major improvement on existing networks.

"The advantages of this are that it's a secure network, which means that scanners cannot pick it up," he said. "And it's integrated. At the moment, each service has its own network, and they are broken down at a regional level as well."

He said the new system would allow different regions and services to communicate with each other automatically.

Arqiva is the biggest player in the supply of public safety services in Ireland. It provides radio communications to all Health Service Executive ambulances and to the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.