Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The issue of publicly funded media has been a live one for a number of years but actions have been slow in coming. The Future of Media Commission report in 2022 recommended that public service media be funded from the public purse. This motion essentially backs up that recommendation. We want to see the TV licence scrapped. Since the multiple scandals in RTÉ became public, people have become cynical and non-payment of the TV licence has rocketed. A diverse, independent and financially sustainable media sector is important in any normal, functional, democratic society. We look at TG4, which has shown that direct public funding does not impact on content. It is a model that we should be following to address the current funding crisis in RTÉ. There is a long way to go to restore public confidence in RTÉ, but this will ensure transparency on how public money is spent.

The fact is that the TV licence needs to go. We cannot continue to ignore the elephant in the room. We cannot continue with the current model. The Government knows this and there has been some kite-flying in recent weeks. We are presenting an obvious solution to the Government tonight. I hope the Government will see sense and support it

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