Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and congratulate him on his appointment. I have not had an opportunity to do so in public so far. The Minister mentioned myself and Roscommon. It occurred to me that there are many apartment complexes along the Shannon which, generally speaking, are owned by people as second homes. A television licence costs €145.50 per dwelling, but people with two homes are not millionaires. I am not talking about myself, by the way, because I do not have a television in my own home down there. I just want to make that clear, and I am not a millionaire. I am talking about ordinary Joe and Josephine Soaps who may have one of these holiday apartments in the Minister's constituency. It would cost €291 to purchase two licence fees, but to gain that sum one would have to earn about €600. That is after-tax income at the marginal rate, which is a lot of money. It is all very well talking about further compliance with the law, but it is a huge imposition if the Minister is suggesting chasing people around who have already paid for one licence, yet may spend one month per year in another home which also requires a television licence. It requires them to earn €600 to pay for both licences.

The committee's policy document refers to alternatives to the licence fee. The Minister has indicated that he is not in favour of the cave tax, or whatever it was called before, but this is still a serious issue. If the Minister is going to crack the whip and start prosecuting people, he should remember that we are talking about ordinary people who will have to earn €600 for the privilege of watching television in two locations.