Vol. 577 No. 4
49 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has received an application for an increase in the licence fee from RTE; if he has made a decision on the application; the amount of increase sought; when it is due to come into effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31265/03]
The Government decision of December 2002 provided for a mechanism for an annual adjustment in the television licence fee using a consumer price index, CPI, minus X formula. This formula would be used to take account of rising costs but also to reflect performance on execution of change management agenda and performance against programme commitments. I have received an application from RTE for an increase in the television licence fee equivalent to the rise in CPI.
The Government decision provided that decisions on an annual increase would be informed by an independent evaluation of RTE's performance in the previous year. When established it is the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, BAI, that will undertake this independent evaluation. As the BAI has not yet been established, I engaged external consultants to undertake the independent evaluation this year.
Having received and considered the report of the independent consultants, I decided to increase the licence fee by €2 bringing the cost of a television licence to €152 with effect from I January 2004. The Government, at its meeting of 16 December 2003, approved my decision in this regard.
