Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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173. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of television licenses purchased in 2010, 2011 and 2012; the total amount raised in television licences in each of those years; if he considered carrying out a value for money examination of the television licence process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24547/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The number of television licences issued in any particular year is a combination of direct sales by An Post and ‘free licences’ issued by the Department of Social Protection. The number of TV licences issued on behalf of Social Welfare recipients varies according to the number of people eligible for the Household Benefits Package, and this can change from month to month.

The table below provides (i) the total number of licences sold by An Post in the year in question; (ii) the number of "free licences" recorded on the Department of Social Protection's database at the end of the year in question, which is a reflection of the number of free licences in existence at that point in time and (iii) the total receipts received by my Department in respect of television licence fee sales and ‘free’ licences issued by the Department of Social Protection.

As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has recently carried out a Value for Money Review on the proposal to introduce a Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) Household Charge. The independently chaired Review Group considered a range of issues in relation to the proposal, including the efficiency and effectiveness of the current licensing system. The Group's report has been submitted to me recently and I am now considering the its findings in the context of the next steps to be taken in regard to introduction of the PSB Charge.