Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

The Minister's initial response was unclear. Does he accept that if it costs more than €12 million to collect €200 million, the system is fundamentally flawed? Does he intend to continue to link the funding of public service broadcasting with the ownership of televisions?

Does the Minister agree that the system whereby people have to go around the country knocking on people's doors, checking whether there are televisions in bedrooms, is an outdated mode of funding public service broadcasting? RTE has suggested that the level of licence fee evasion is between 15% and 20%. We are all paying for those who evade. Would it not be more effective to introduce a new system, requiring all households to pay a contribution towards the funding of public service broadcasting in Ireland? Such a system would deal with the evasion issue and remove the outdated model that connects the funding of public service broadcasting with television ownership.

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