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Ministers still at loggerheads over RTÉ funding as Martin says broadcasting tax not ‘palatable’

Donohoe said he does not believe the TV licence fee funding should be scrapped.

MEDIA MINISTER CATHERINE Martin has said there should be a “five to seven year ringfenced” funding for RTÉ. 

Here comments come amidst disagreement in government over how the national broadcaster should be funded into the future, with Martin stating she is in favour of direct Exchequer funding. 

This idea is being opposed by Tánaiste Micheál Martin, Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe and outgoing Finance Minister Michael McGrath.

Donohoe said earlier today that he does not believe the TV licence fee should be scrapped and replaced with direct Exchequer funding for RTÉ.

He said the government will have to make up the shortfall and that ultimately, money which could be used for social welfare increases or childcare would go to the national broadcaster to fill the licence fee gap.

“We shouldn’t let that happen,” he said.

However, when Donohoe’s comments were posed to Martin, she disputed his take on the matter, stating:

“I don’t see the argument of how it was can compete on an annual budget, because what would be proposed, as the Future of the Media Commission recommended, is that it would be multi-annual. I would see that as being a five to seven year ringfenced amount that would be recommended by an independent regulator,” said the media minister. 

She went on to say the alternative is the reform of the licence fee to a broadcasting tax, which would be collected by Revenue, which she believed would be not be “palatable” to the public. 

 

 

In his argument not retain the revenue collected through the TV licence fee, Donohoe said it brings in “valuable money that we should not lose”. 

“The majority of people still pay the television licence. They pay it out of a recognition of the work that RTE does and its value,” he said. 

If licence fee revenue is lost, the government will have to find tens of millions of Euro to plug the hole, said the minister.

“I don’t believe we should be abolishing a charge that the majority of people are still paying,” he added. 

A decision on the future funding for RTÉ is due to be made before the summer. 

Donohoe said the government will ulitimately have to reach an agreement in relation to the issue in the next few weeks. 

“I have heard differing views from many people who are involved in this process. But we do need to make a decision on it and we will,” he said. 

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    Mute 9QRixo8H
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    Jun 26th 2024, 7:55 PM

    FFG love a tax. They gave us EVERY tax we have.

    391
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    Mute Pat Hazzard
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:01 PM

    @9QRixo8H: they are both low tax parties which is why workers in Ireland pay far less income tax than EU average

    84
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    Mute 9QRixo8H
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:04 PM

    @Pat Hazzard: workers are charged 52% tax on income above 70k. Almost the highest in Europe.

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    Mute 9QRixo8H
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:09 PM

    @Stephen Brennan: how do you know? The unemployment rate in Northern Ireland is 2.1%, which is lower than FFG’s Ireland. As well as house prices being 3 times cheaper up north, SF are doing something right.

    113
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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:15 PM

    @9QRixo8H: It is 2.6% but an Ulster University study suggests that the alternative “real rate” of unemployment is about 8%.

    46
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    Mute Damien Leahy
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:16 PM

    @Stephen Brennan: because ffg said so is it? Or are you basing it on your daddy voting for ffg?

    92
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    Mute 9QRixo8H
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:17 PM

    @Stephen Brennan: I wouldn’t know what any of the opposition parties would do, because they’ve never lead government. What I do know is, SF has unemployment rate at 2.1% in the North.

    60
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    Mute 9QRixo8H
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:19 PM

    @Pat Barry: “Alternative” rate? Stick to facts. FFG’s Ireland is 4.5%. SF’s Northern Ireland is 2.1%.

    48
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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:20 PM

    @9QRixo8H: Average tax rate for €70K is a third.

    16
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    Mute brian madden
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:20 PM

    @Stephen Brennan: how do you know they are fed up with funding the North?

    26
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    Mute 9QRixo8H
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:23 PM

    @Pat Barry: FFG tax you at 52% after 70k. SF tax you 40% at 70k. Northern Ireland wins every time. Houses, taxes, unemployment rate. They win.

    61
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    Mute Sickof thisshit
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:38 PM

    @Pat Hazzard: prove it. And include USC.

    41
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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:39 PM

    @9QRixo8H: They have a point, I’d agree that being on a government training scheme shouldn’t be classed as being employed.

    26
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    Mute Jp Cleary
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:41 PM

    @Pat Hazzard: Would you ever cop on. Most people pay income tax…. its the sly taxes they’ve screwed us with. Car tax….property tax…levies on all insurance and utilities….USC….prsi increase in last budget….and of course VAT on everything you buy after your income tax. I’m sure I’ve also missed a few.

    118
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    Mute Paul O'Mahoney
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:56 PM

    @9QRixo8H: SF don’t have tax raising powers in NI all taxes go directly to HMRC and while the top tax rate is 52% depending on your circumstances the effective tax rate is lower as tax credits and other deductibles, such as pension contributions.

    It’s still high but not simply 52% , Additionally SF was to tax families earning more that 100,000 more, can you square that circle?

    13
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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Jun 26th 2024, 9:10 PM

    @9QRixo8H: Stick to facts, house prices 3 times cheaper in NI lol, more like only a third less than ROI, which corresponds to the average wage.

    22
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    Mute Blue Moon
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    Jun 26th 2024, 9:11 PM

    @9QRixo8H: And your Shinners would tax us to death if they tried to commit to the promises they propose…

    18
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    Mute Leonard Barry
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    Jun 26th 2024, 9:28 PM

    @9QRixo8H: As you mention that I priced up a Toyota GR Yaris car on Toyota.ie today and it was priced at €89,980, same car same spec in the UK which will also include Northern Ireland is €54000, how is that for an example of rip off Ireland.

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    Mute nicholas winters
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    Jun 26th 2024, 9:34 PM

    @Stephen Brennan: stop talking nonsense

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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Jun 26th 2024, 10:20 PM

    @Leonard Barry: Customs and vat would amount to 33% so still a considerable saving to be made, better going to England though for even better prices/ choice.

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    Mute troolll balonius
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    Jun 26th 2024, 7:56 PM

    Nonsense. People pay the licence fee simply because they don’t want to end up in court, it has nothing to do with recognition of value for RTE’s output, most of the station’s output is pure garbage. Live sport is about the only thing RTE has to offer that’s of any value from a license fee perspective.

    546
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    Mute Pat Hazzard
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:02 PM

    @troolll balonius: or they have a sense of civic duty and understand the need for public service broadcasting in a democracy

    44
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    Mute Damien Leahy
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:18 PM

    @Pat Hazzard: why not make it a subscription then?

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    Mute Ger Whelan
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:31 PM

    @Pat Hazzard: if only RTE had a civic duty to the people of this country and not squander that money. I don’t use RTE so I won’t pay for it. I’d rather have my money in my pocket than it being used to overpay and rent cars for rte staff.

    170
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    Mute Michale Kane
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:33 PM

    @Pat Hazzard: Pity the corrupt heads of RTE didnt have a sense of civic duty, instead of a sense of entitlement and self-enrichment from the public purse.

    178
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    Mute Tom Newell
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:40 PM

    @Pat Hazzard: A sense of duty to keep funding the lifetstyles of people like Ray D’arcy, Duffy and the tik tok clowns they have now trying to save 2FM. Its bad enough we are forced to pay for the abject failures 6 figure salaries that are running the likes of the HSE which we actually need. Nobody needs a national broadcaster that cant manage its money. Tell ya what put the lads who run TG4 in charge and ull see change cos they have to make do witha small budget and deliver actual better product than RTE

    162
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    Mute John Reynolds
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    Jun 26th 2024, 9:15 PM

    @Pat Hazzard:

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    Mute Louis Jacob
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:16 PM

    Honestly, I watch a lot of YouTube content produced on a shoe-string, that’s better than anything Rte are producing. I don’t mind having publicly funded TV and radio, but can we stop pretending that these people are some kind of elite TV producers who deserve premium coin. It’s just not true.

    361
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    Mute David Murray
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:01 PM

    RTE is now a compromised organization

    272
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    Mute Jp Cleary
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    Jun 26th 2024, 9:32 PM

    @David Murray: Correct. Question is why are Government so obsessed with keeping it alive.

    142
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    Mute Matt D
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    Jun 27th 2024, 5:27 AM

    @Jp Cleary: it’s the govt Ministry of propaganda.

    74
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    Mute Stiles
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    Jun 26th 2024, 7:54 PM

    Get Rida RTE and or the TV LICENCE..

    230
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    Mute Podge
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    Jun 26th 2024, 9:29 PM

    @Stiles: ??? So you would be fine with getting rid of RTE bit keeping the License fee? The mind boggles.

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    Mute Stiles
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    Jun 26th 2024, 10:11 PM

    @Podge: no podge sorry I thought it was clear enough.. I don’t wanna pay for rte. so get rida of that or the TV LICENCE.. you do realise thats what the tv licence pays for… ya Bleedin sap ya..

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    Mute Stiles
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    Jun 26th 2024, 10:13 PM

    @Podge: I’d say your mind boggles when neighbours and home and away are on at the same time…

    23
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    Mute bruce banner
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    Jun 26th 2024, 7:54 PM

    The tens of millions to plug the hole….easy…just dont give contracts to build bridges and hospitals to a certain building contractor.

    197
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    Mute Brian k.
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:17 PM

    I don’t see why we should have to pay a licence fee and it gos to RTÉ. All our other media outlets don’t get anything from the licence fee so why should RTÉ !?

    170
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    Mute Blue Moon
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    Jun 26th 2024, 9:04 PM

    @Brian k.: I also don’t agree with the license fee .. but you are totally wrong…. A portion of the licence fee does go to other broadcasting stations…. Maybe you should do a little bit of research

    27
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    Mute William O leary
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:08 PM

    shut the government mouthpiece down..and the so called talent..

    205
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    Mute Paddy C
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    Jun 26th 2024, 10:23 PM

    @William O leary: so called is right,nationwide with mickey Joe cutting turf in offaly, mary still knitting the jumpers the old way in kinnegad and fintan o donnell playing the tin whistle in tipperary by the side of a river is hardly worth 160 euro a year couldn’t justify it.

    65
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    Mute Tom Newell
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:37 PM

    RTE arent the HSE they arent a service we need, if people wanna keep funding them, have them pay a subscription and let the station survive on sponsors and ad revenue and reduce their massive wage bill to 5 figures for their “talent”…..and prove they are good with money. FFG hard core know dam well any attempt to lob a tax to fund RTE will take all the gains they made in local elections a few weeks back disappear like bertie ahern at a tribunal in the GE

    158
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    Mute Dramafree 2023
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:57 PM

    The only thing I took from that discussion is we all need to cease paying the tv licence with immediate effect!! peoples compliance with the law is being used against us!! I think the gov are more than on the back foot already, adding another tax to fund a broadcaster that has had endless and unresolved scandals for the past 2 years would help to tip them over the edge. close the broadcaster, its no longer viable.

    142
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    Mute SV3tN8M4
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    Jun 26th 2024, 9:27 PM

    “monies for childcare would have to go to fund RTE instead”
    Time to pull the plug, let it survive like any other commercial entity, nothing has changed, same lies & spin been fed to us. The recent Exit Package negotiation of €400K that Bakhurst won’t be transparent on or inform the public on, shows that it is still an organization with the same sense of entitlement & arrogance. The people have had enough, RTE has done untold damage to democracy & trust in all arms of the State. Let’s see how they would survive in the real world like the rest of us.

    134
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    Mute Kevin Kerr
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    Jun 26th 2024, 9:42 PM

    @SV3tN8M4: “the people have had enough” – ffs, such melo drama. Who are these people? Coz if they’ve had enough, they be been having it very quietly. No protests of note that I can remember, except for some anti migrant ones and also the one outside the Dail with the gallows. Are these the people you’re referring to?

    13
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    Mute Paddy C
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    Jun 26th 2024, 9:50 PM

    @SYaxJ2Ts: sure what’s the point in bailing them out with 20 million why don’t we round it off to 100 million might aswel its only Tax payers money. The very taxpayers who are struggling week to week and wiping out any savings they have to stay afloat, does they’re opinion have any bearing?

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    Mute Kevin Kerr
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    Jun 26th 2024, 10:00 PM

    @Paddy C: give over, you don’t care how it’s funded, licence fee or exchequer – you just want it gone. And my comment is about the OP talking about people have had enough – I’m asking, who are these people? If they’ve had enough, how come they’re not voting as such? Or protesting if they feel there’s no alternative?

    9
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    Mute Paddy C
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    Jun 26th 2024, 10:06 PM

    @SYaxJ2Ts: because unfortunately sadly what’s in opposition is even worse many are afraid sinn fein proved they’re worth. I’ve already commented that many may want to keep news,weather and sport that’s understandable bug if they want to entertain the old age pensioners they need to make a damn hell of a lot better of an effort the garbage that’s on it with massive over inflated salaries ain’t cutting it.

    22
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    Mute Paddy C
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    Jun 26th 2024, 10:11 PM

    @SYaxJ2Ts: certainly the likes of nationwide with mickey Joe cutting turf in offaly, mary still knitting the jumpers the old way in kinnegad and fintan o donnell playing the tin whistle in tipperary by the side of a river is hardly worth 160 euro a year couldn’t justify it.

    21
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    Mute Kevin Kerr
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    Jun 26th 2024, 10:37 PM

    @Paddy C: well it sure beats Paddy C typing shyte on the journal

    9
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    Mute Paddy C
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    Jun 26th 2024, 11:37 PM

    @SYaxJ2Ts: I don’t force a charge of 160 euro on people for it that’s the difference

    26
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    Mute Colette Byrne
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    Jun 27th 2024, 12:54 AM

    @Paddy C: and kevin spouts

    10
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    Mute Niall English
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    Jun 26th 2024, 10:16 PM

    Put rte as a pay per view service like netflix or any of those platforms. If you want rte you pay the fee. If you don’t want rte then you don’t subscribe. I don’t see why I should have to pay a license fee to rte for something I don’t use.

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    Mute N D K
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    Jun 26th 2024, 9:23 PM

    The government propaganda machine full of talent and stars lol

    83
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    Mute Paddy C
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    Jun 26th 2024, 9:47 PM

    Rte news now channel should be kept for news and weather. Maybe the sport end aswel lot of people like that,scrap the rest it’s garbage surely they could run the news end of it on advertising and reduce over inflated salaries. Sell off land which will no longer be needed as a result and cut it down to that alone. Even at that they’re testing people’s patience we certainly dont want to continue paying TV licence after all that’s gone on and most likely guaranteed to happen all over again that’s guaranteed we all know it.

    61
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    Mute Paddy C
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    Jun 26th 2024, 10:01 PM

    Donohoe doesn’t believe it should be scraped,right we may all stay paying it so. We’re not interested in his opinion, it’s a complete dshambles and the good people who work in rte not on the big salaries were shafted with a bad reputation because as usual no one was held to account so the trust is now gone. Certain amount of people will hate ro lose news,weather and sport for what it’s worth I doubt they’d lose sleep over the rest it sends most to sleep.

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    Mute Mr “JonnieBoy” Johnson
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    Jun 26th 2024, 9:02 PM

    Exchequer funding far more efficient as the cost of collection is low. Tax payer still pays via current tax channels but doesn’t get pissed by having to pay a specific rte tax. Same done with water previously, its now provided billions annually from central exchequer funding.

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    Mute Wayne Shoes
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    Jun 26th 2024, 8:21 PM

    Pat the the orange man

    26
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    Mute martin finnegan
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    Jun 27th 2024, 12:55 AM

    Not one person in Dail Eireann gives a bit about working people, this country is finished as it no longer pays to get up in the morning, work hard & pay your taxes, all our political class too occupied with Woke shite than the bread & butter issues.

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    Mute Peter Finnegan
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    Jun 26th 2024, 9:34 PM

    Jesus, the amount of mistakes, typos, etc.in this article is a disgrace.

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    Mute KTH
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    Jun 26th 2024, 9:56 PM

    @Peter Finnegan:
    You should’ve put a space between etc. and in.
    Disgraceful.

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    Mute YKwkSIqW
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    Jun 27th 2024, 11:44 AM

    @KTH: He’s not getting paid for pretending to be a journalist though. But well caught, all the same! The Journal could use a guy like you.

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    Mute Dominic Leleu
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    Jun 27th 2024, 8:34 AM

    They should be scrapped

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    Mute Mick Hanna
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    Jun 27th 2024, 11:41 AM

    Oblivion for them, if they dare try it. Subscription is the way…Enough IS Enough!!!

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