Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 December 2023
296. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the figures for the receipts collected for the licence fee in each of the years 2022 to date in 2023, broken down between licence fee receipts from households and licence fee receipts paid by the Department of Social Protection under the household benefits package, in tabular form [55890/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraPart 9 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 sets out the statutory basis for the current TV licence system. An Post acts as the TV Licence issuing Agent and is responsible for direct sales to the public. The Department of Social Protection also provides ‘free’ licences to those in receipt of the Household Benefits Package.
The Table below sets out the total TV Licence receipts from Household Sales from January to December 2022 and from January to 10th December this year. It is not possible to accurately estimate the total Household Sales to year end at this stage. The receipts from the Department of Social Protection in respect of licences awarded under the Household Benefits Package set out in the table are for the full year.
|
- |
2022 January-December |
2023 January to date |
|
TV Licence Household Sales Receipts |
€151,667,840 |
€124,793,440 * |
|
TV Licence DSP Household Benefits Package Receipts |
€69,788,616 |
€69,788,616 |
* The most recent figures available are up to and including 10th December.
As I have stated previously, public service content and public service broadcasting is a vital pillar of our society and indeed our democracy, and as such it needs to be supported. The TV licence supports not only RTÉ, but content provided across almost all broadcasters in the State, and therefore it remains important that we all play out part in supporting public service content by continuing to purchase or renew our TV licences.
