LAST UPDATE | 13 Feb

THE TAOISEACH HAS criticised a Sinn Féin motion to replace the TV licence fee and waive penalties for non-payment as “comical”.

Sinn Féin is proposing to replace the licence fee with exchequer funding and waive penalties for anyone who has been recently caught not paying the fee.

Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould has said that it is unfair to prosecute members of the public for not paying the fee in the wake of the RTÉ scandal that unfurled last year.

Speaking in the Dáil earlier today, the Taoiseach dismissed the motion as comical. 

“I’m sorry to say that, but it is,” he said. 

The Taoiseach said Sinn Féin’s proposal to introduce an amnesty to people who didn’t pay their licence is “deeply insulting” to people who do.

“It’s a kick in the teeth to them,” he added. 

The Taoiseach continued: “The oddest thing in the policy is this proposal that you would continue to pay €12.5m a year to An Post for not collecting the charge when it is abolished.

“I’m all for supporting An Post but giving people €12m a year to collect a charge that doesn’t exist anymore really is comical.”

He said a decision will be made this year on a new funding model and that it will either be a household charge collected by Revenue or will be exchequer funded.

He said he agrees however that the licence fee is outdated but encouraged people to continue to pay it as it remains the law. 

Other parties are equally unimpressed with the Sinn Féin proposal, with Labour Party TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin labelling the move “a stunt”.

Speaking outside the Dáil today, Ó Ríordáin told reporters the motion is an attempt by Sinn Féin to talk about something other than immigration and suggested the party was “on the backfoot” when it came to the issue and Gaza.

“So they need to talk about something else and so they decided to talk about the TV licence,” he said.

Ó Ríordán said he thinks the motion is a “subtle nod” from Sinn Féin to encourage people not to pay their TV licence and said this is “no way to do politics”, adding that his party pay the fee and believe everybody should.

Most of the Independent TDs suggested creating a level playing field for other broadcasters and media by creating a equitable media levy, to fund local media, newspapers and online Irish news platforms.

Speaking in the Dáil this evening, many Independent TDs said while the scandal in the broadcaster highlighted the criticisms the public has for the TV licence fee, offloading the cost to the taxpayer would be unsustainable and unfair.

Media minister Catherine Martin said that while she has opened discussions to engage with the idea to introduce a publicly funded media levy, she believes the decision should not be taken quickly or lightly.

“We must ensure that it is done right. We must ensure that it is sustainable, that it is fair to all. We must ensure that it is truly in the public interest.

“We must ensure that it provides certainty and stability to public service broadcasters, to commercial and local broadcasters, those in the independent sector as well as local, regional and national print media, or who provide vital public service content such as Irish language, sports, news, the arts and children’s programming. 

Martin said that she acknowledges that the TV licence fee is “outdated” and disliked by the public but abolishing it is “reckless and irresponsible”.

“Replacing it will require legislative change and this will take some time. Sinn Fein has no real plan as to how this necessary funding will be replaced tomorrow if it was abolished immediately as is their wish.

“This is reckless in the extreme and it’s not the way to provide the stability and certainty which is needed, particularly by the staff in RTÉ,” she added.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland, Gould said that if the party was elected, Sinn Féin would spend around €140 million of exchequer funding on RTÉ and TG4, which are currently funded through the licence fee paid by households.

“Across Europe, we’re seeing different European countries moving away from the licence fee model and move into other types of funding, like Norway,” Gould said.

“This would give a guarantee for RTÉ and TG4 and other public content providers to know what money is there, because last year, 1 in 4 people didn’t pay the licence fee and from what I’m hearing on the ground, that’s going to be much higher now.”

He said the party would grant amnesty to people who had been found to not be paying the licence fee and due to receive a date in court, comparing it to the walking back of the water charges.

In 2022, according to RTÉ’s annual report, €221.5 million in licence fees were collected and €195.6 million (88%) was received by RTÉ, down €500,000 compared to 2021.

Donegal’s TD Thomas Pringle supported scrapping the motion, adding that much of the public view the TV licence fee as another bill on top of others. Pringle added he was skeptical that Government will actually take steps to create a reformed funding model.

With reporting from Lauren Boland and Muiris O’Cearbhaill.