Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Trust and confidence in RTÉ and the TV licence model is at a low ebb and has been for a long time. The recent scandals that have come out of RTÉ have only exacerbated this loss of trust. This motion is about ending a system that is not working and that imposes an annual fee of €160 regardless of household income. It is about replacing this archaic system with one that is workable, sustainable and fair and that is fit for purpose in the modern era. The number of households opting not to pay the TV licence last year was double the rate of 2022. Last year, a startling one in four households decided not to purchase a TV licence. While the recent crisis at RTÉ has shown that change is needed in the organisation, change is needed in the whole funding model.

Exchequer funding should be provided through a platform-neutral media fund to support public service media content production. Local community providers, such as Lyric FM in Limerick should be supported. Lyric FM is the station that RTÉ tried to scrap not too long ago. It is a wonderful station with some fantastic shows and music. I am proud to have such a station broadcasting from Limerick. It is my hope that its programme schedule can be enhanced further. It goes without saying that it can be delivered cheaper in the regions than simply concentrating on Dublin 4. Members of this House will have received an email from Screen Producers Ireland today, which is supportive of this change we propose.

Sixty people a day are facing prosecution for not paying with an incredible 13,000 summonses before the courts on this issue alone in 2023. Surely there are better things that overstretched courts could spend their time on more efficiently than that. We do not only want to see the change in the funding model but we need to see and hear different voices on our media. We need to hear more working-class voices about their life experiences. We need to see urban estates not just when something is wrong but to highlight those tremendous communities and the resilience and all the good which emanates from them, which is sadly often missing from RTÉ.

This is a sensible motion the Government should support. It echoes a recommendation of the Future of Media Commission report. I urge all Members of the House to support it.

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