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Television Licence Fee Collection

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 November 2015

Tuesday, 10 November 2015

Questions (101)

Michael Colreavy

Question:

101. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his Department has outlined plans for a change to how the television licence fee is to collected. [38963/15]

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Written answers

Part 10 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 outlines the statutory basis for the Television Licence and the associated collection mechanisms. Section 145 of the Act designates An Post as the "issuing agent" of the Minister with regard to Television Licences and tasks them with collecting the licence fees. The Programme for Government committed 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. The primary objective in introducing a Public Service Broadcasting Charge is to secure a more stable funding stream for public service broadcasting than the current TV Licence system provides in light of the current high level of evasion and the impact that technological developments are having on the way that media is consumed.

In terms 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.

In the absence of the introduction of a Public Service Broadcasting Charge there are no plans to change how the Television Licence is collected.

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