Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2015
892. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the estimated amount of extra revenue from replacing the television licence with a household broadcasting charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28234/15]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to examining the role and collection of the TV licence fee in light of existing and projected convergence of technologies and to transforming the TV licence into a household based Public Service Broadcasting Charge to be applied to all eligible households and applicable businesses, regardless of the device used to access content or services. In terms of the timing of the introduction of any new charge, in my statement of 21 April 2015 on the publication of the NewERA and Indecon reports, I indicated that I had advised Government that it would not be possible to replace the TV licence fee with a public service broadcasting charge within the lifetime of this Government. I also pointed to the need to build public understanding and support for the introduction of such a charge.
Decisions in respect of the level of any such charge once it is introduced have not yet been made, precluding estimation of potential revenue at this stage in the process. That said, the proposed new arrangements must, at a minimum, be capable of sustaining existing funding levels.
