MINISTER FOR PUBLIC Expenditure Paschal Donohoe has urged caution in relation to proposals that the Revenue Commissioners should collect the TV licence fee. 

Donohoe confirmed that collection of the licence fee by Revenue is one of the options being considered by Government to replace the current system but said that he has reservations about it.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio One’s This Week programme, the Minister said the reason the proposal was previously rejected was because it would involve an expansion of Revenue’s remit. 

“I would indeed have some reservations about it, but I am willing to look at it.

“[The reason it was rejected before] is because the Revenue Commissioners only collects taxes. And there’s a really important difference between tax, and the law behind tax, and something that is a charge,” Donohoe said.

The Revenue Commissioner collect the taxes of the state, and they have a body of law and power behind them for doing that. And I myself, and I’ll do it again, said we should just tread really carefully before we expand their remit into other areas of revenue collection.”

His comments come after it was reported today that Media Minister Catherine Martin is in favour of abolishing the TV licence fee and replacing it with direct taxpayer funding for RTÉ.

Donohoe said the decision would come down to Finance Minister Micheal McGrath in consultation with the Government. 

“The matter is going to be considered. But there are pros and cons in relation to it. That’s all I’m saying,” Donohoe said.