Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion to reform the television licence fee model. I fully support the motion and its calls to scrap the unfair television licence fee with immediate effect and invest Exchequer funding into a platform-neutral media fund, which would support public service media content production and the activities of commercial, local and community providers, along with RTÉ and TG4.

While the television licence fee may be an afterthought for some, for many people in this country it is yet another bill on top of the many they are struggling to pay. Many families have found it very difficult to make ends meet during the cost-of-living crisis which has been ongoing for a considerable time. For them to be expected to pay yet another bill in light of the scandalous waste of money by RTÉ in recent years is a massive slap in the face. Why has the Government not taken the opportunity to scrap the television licence fee following this RTÉ controversy and in response to the financial struggle many households are experiencing? How is it somehow affordable to give every household in the country more than €400 worth of electricity credits, while at the same time scrapping a €160 television fee is unaffordable? This demonstrates how the Government repeatedly fails to implement targeted measures that will benefit those who need them most.

Social Justice Ireland recently revealed that Ireland’s rich-poor gap stands at €960 per week, or €50,115 per annum, in 2024. It noted the impact of emergency crisis measures in 2022 to 2024 that saw the gap fall in 2022 for the first time in the past ten budgets. As these measures are temporary, however, the gap between those who are poor and those who are better off is due to widen again in 2024 and get increasingly bigger if more long-term measures are not implemented. This is completely unacceptable and it is unfair to the most vulnerable in society. The Opposition warned the Government of the ineffectiveness of once-off payments in tackling poverty and creating a more fair and just society. Once-off payments fail to benchmark social welfare rates to ensure they provide an adequate standard of living and they cannot tackle the low-income culture that has prevented this country from eliminating poverty. The most vulnerable get left behind when welfare increases do not correlate with increases elsewhere in the economy, and no amount of one-off payments will address that. The only way we can effectively address the income gap is by providing long-term social welfare increases and ensuring that fees, such as the television licence fee, are paid through general taxation. This is a much fairer system where those who can pay more do so, while those who cannot pay are not forced to do so.

The funding of a national broadcaster is a very important issue and the Government should be taking this opportunity to review the way it has been funded in the past and will be funded in the future. I acknowledge that the Government amendment to the motion states that, "the Government is committed to the introduction of a new sustainable and fair funding model during its term of office, and to giving due consideration to all funding options, including direct Exchequer funding". However, I am sceptical as to whether the Government will prioritise this and actually implement a new funding model before the end of the year, a point which, in reality, will also mark the end of the Government. In addition, I disagree with the statement in the Government amendment that "it would be inappropriate and premature to introduce any new funding model prior to the completion of the independent reviews into RTÉ".

There is a need to consider the almost 200 An Post staff whose work involves the collection of the television licence fee. They should not be made compulsorily redundant. Whatever happens with the television licence, they should be redeployed or, if necessary, offered a redundancy package. Those jobs must not be lost. That is vital.

Although there will be a need to reform corporate governance and organisational culture at RTÉ following these independent reviews, there is no reason that the funding model cannot be reformed as soon as possible. At the very least, the television licence fee should be waived until a new funding model is implemented. We know the funds to do this are available, as evidenced by the fact that the Government was able to afford to give households far more in energy credits.

It is vital that citizens have a place to go for factual and unbiased information, a place where they are guaranteed the truth. It is vital that there is no further privatisation or outsourcing of national broadcasting services and production. Significant funding should be given to allow for this freedom and independence, and it should be given through general taxation and increased taxation of big corporations. It should not be taken from the many families who live pay cheque to pay cheque and would struggle to scrape together the extra to pay the licence fee in a country that is becoming increasingly more expensive and difficult to live in.

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