Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 May 2019
364. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when he will receive the interdepartmental working group report on television licence fee reform; when he will publish same; when he will act on the recommendations of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22490/19]
View answer366. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when he expects to receive the interdepartmental working group report on the television licence fee reform; when he expects to publish it; when he expects to act on the recommendations of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22499/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 364 and 366 together.
In light of the recommendations in the Report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action & Environment on the Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting, a Working Group was set up by Government decision in July 2018 to examine options for the reform of TV licence collection.
I secured additional funding for public service broadcasting in Budget 2019. TG4 will receive €36.2m Exchequer funding in 2019, comprising a combination of €34.2m current and €2m capital, which is an increase of €443,000 compared to 2018. Additional funding of €9.245m is being provided to RTÉ and the Broadcasting Fund, of which RTÉ will receive approximately €8.6m in 2019. The Broadcasting Fund, administered by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and financed from 7% of net licence fee receipts, supports the Sound and Vision and Archiving Schemes and benefits the broadcasting sector as a whole.
I will bring a report to government once it has been finalised.
