ronan fagan
Independent councillor, Paul Hogan, has this week called for the abolition of the television licence fee acknowledging that Ireland should join the ever increasing number of European countries now opting to banish the annual payment for public broadcasting.
The Independent councillor further called for the national broadcaster and all other services currently funded by the television licence to be funded under general taxation.
“After almost a month of controversies within our national broadcaster RTÉ, it is very timely to consider an alternative approach to funding the national broadcaster and associated services.
“It is notable that since the controversy, television licence renewals have fallen by 27 percent for the first week in July as the controversy around payments in RTÉ emerged. This figure represents approximately 3,428 fewer households who have renewed their television licence this month compared to the same time last year, culminating in a loss of nearly €1 million in revenue.
“It is expected that many more households will not renew their television licence after the controversy. RTÉ have also stated that the loss associated with those who consistently refuse to pay the licence, or forgot to pay, amounts to 15.2 percent with estimated losses of €65 million.
“There is an ever-increasing number of European countries that have abolished the public broadcasting licence fee including Denmark, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Bulgaria, Hungary, Cyprus, Malta and Belgium. In addition, there is no licence fee in Spain, Luxembourg, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Lichtenstein, Ukraine and Monaco, with Great Britain deciding to abolish the TV licence from 2027 onwards.
“RTÉ currently operates a public-private funding model with 55 percent of its income, €200 million per annum, paid for by the licence fee. The remaining 45 percent is generated through commercial revenues.
“A fairer system is, I believe, definitely possible. The days of threatening people with fines and imprisonment for non-payment while payment controversies shroud RTÉ must be a thing of the past.
“It is long overdue that a debate be held on a new model of funding and supporting the national broadcaster and all other associated services. A major investment is also needed to fund newly produced Irish content for viewers, listeners and users. At this early stage, my preference is that these national services be funded from general taxation,” Cllr Hogan asserted.
