asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the number of holders of TV licences in (a) County Galway and (b) County Clare.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - TV Licences.
68.
The exact information requested by the Deputy is not readily available as records of television licences are kept in respect of head postmasters' districts only and these do not coincide with county boundaries.
In Galway, the total area covered by the three head post offices of Tuam, Ballinasloe and Galway itself, differs only to a small extent from the county and the total number of TV licences current in these districts on 31st January, 1963, was 833.
Ennis is the only head post office in County Clare and the corresponding figure for the Ennis district is 212 but a substantial part of the county lies outside it.
69.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether he is aware that hire-purchase and television rental companies in some cases are offering to pay the television licence of persons purchasing or renting sets from them, and to include the price of the licence in the hire-purchase or rental payments; and whether, in view of the fact that this practice means that the person involved pays interest to the private company on the television licence fee, he will arrange to permit television licence fees to be paid in quarterly instalments, as in the case of motor taxation.
I am aware that one television rental company has offered to purchase licences and to include the cost in the weekly or monthly charges to its customers.
The question of whether my Department should arrange for collection of licence fees by instalments was very carefully considered when the amount of the licence fee was fixed. The idea was, however, rejected because it would add substantially to the cost of collection.
Does the Minister realise that this system is employed with regard to motor taxation? If they are able to do it there, could his Department not also manage it? Does he not realise that it is very difficult for some people to get £4 at once?
The matter was very fully considered at the time and I am satisfied that it would add substantially to the cost of collection if we accepted the fee in instalments.
Would the Minister give further consideration to the matter, in view of what I have said?
The matter was continuously under review both by the Radio Éireann Authority and the Department.