The Taoiseach has once again urged the public to pay their TV licence fee in order to fund “really important” public services.
In the Dáil today the Taoiseach was asked by People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy if the government would commit to scrapping the TV licence fee, or at least offering a tax amnesty for those who refuse to pay the licence fee for a period.
“I’m not in favour of tax amnesties,” Varadkar replied, adding that the law was “clear” that the public had to pay their TV licence fees.
“The law is clear – people have to pay the TV licence,” he said.
The Taoiseach went on to call on the public to pay the licence fee because of the “really important” public services it funds.
“I’d encourage people to pay the TV licence, not just because it’s the law, but because it funds really important public service broadcasting,” he said.
“The news, current affairs, children’s programs, Irish language programing…and while most of the money goes to RTÉ, it doesn’t all go to RTÉ, it goes to other other media outlets too.”
However, the Taoiseach did note that he believed it was an “outdated” charge.
“It belongs to a different time,” he said.
“And I’m keen that we should agree this year on a new mechanism to fund public service broadcasting, provide for that this year, and have it in place for 2025.”
The remarks come after November last year, when it was announced that the government would be bailing out RTÉ to the tune of €56 million.
The broadcaster faced a significant shortfall in its finances last year due to a mass non-payment in TV licence fee payments. This is believed to be in response to various financial scandals and controversies which emerged in June, when it was revealed that secret payments had been made to top presenter Ryan Turbidy, among other issues. It was also revealed that the broadcaster had lost millions on a failed Toy Show musical performance project.
Last week Media Minister Catherine Martin said that despite “serious failings in governance oversight” at RTÉ over the failed Toy Show musical, the current board should stay in place “for now,” and that RTÉ remains “a fundamental part of our society and democracy.”
Minister Catherine Martin has said that despite “serious failings in governance oversight” at RTÉ over the failed Toy Show musical, the current board should stay in place “for now,” and that RTÉ remains “a fundamental part of our society and democracy.” https://t.co/ODmn7DDc64
— gript (@griptmedia) January 26, 2024