Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I speak to acknowledge the work of the committee and its members and to welcome the contents of the report. Others have alluded to the fact that this sector is in dire straits. This reminded me of Mark Knopfler's words: "money for nothing" but your television licence for free. There is nothing free in this world but I was amazed to hear the figure to which the Minister referred. I think he said €38 out of every €160 paid subsidises those who will not pay. It is frightening that every four people who pay their licences are subsidising a fifth person. I equally came here to state that I was not necessarily able to have a direct input into the committee and to give my tuppenceworth on areas that are of concern, particularly to the region I represent.

Public service media, or broadcasting, be it local or national, is the lifeblood not just of the old, but also of the young, in the formation of their opinions, the communication of news and information interaction, not to mention the educational and entertainment value of cultural activities, sports and the community. People in Ireland on average, we are told, watch more than three hours of television and listen to more than 3.5 hours of radio every day. This statistic is set to grow with technology trends; the high-speed broadband the Minister promises us, with residential penetration of 90% expected by 2020; the use of smart devices; and mobile data usage, in respect of which there has been a fivefold increase in use since the fourth quarter of 2013.

All our public media organisations in Ireland must adapt to survive in an environment that is ever changing and becoming more and more competitive. For many years, especially when we had a recession and lack of investment, one regularly heard people saying the content of RTÉ news and documentaries and other media were excellent but that the entertainment-type programmes were not so. Now, with "Mrs. Brown's Boys", "Derry Girls" and "Love/Hate", not to mention the langers in Cork, "The Young Offenders", suddenly the audience is abuzz with praise. However, this cannot be done without investment. The same can be said when we can broadcast free-to-view sports or when our local radio stations produce many extensive local, award-winning documentaries.

I allude particularly to Screen Producers Ireland, some of whose members are in the Gallery tonight, and to national independent representative organisations in film, television, animation and digital production. They produce such excellent programmes as "Ear to the Ground", to name one. The fact that €64 million is being lost in the licence fee is affecting and will continue to affect those independent producers. Indeed, it has been suggested that there has been a cut of €18 million to €40 million, with a loss of more than 300 high-value jobs in recent years. If we want this sector to expand and create further employment, it is important that those in this House and those who are not buying their licences see the importance of the sector. I am not an advocate for RTÉ but I note that Dee Forbes, director general of RTÉ has said that the organisation will need to adapt to compete. She has also spoken a lot about the age of streaming services. She stated that RTÉ will be adopting a digital-first approach and, most importantly, that RTÉ needs to engage with and better understand its audiences. I think that could be said for all media.

I am not a member of the Oireachtas committee but as a spokesperson on North-South bodies and co-operation, I ask about the audience in the North of Ireland. According to the Department and RTÉ, 94% of households in the North have access to RTÉ services free to air. I have read reports about Multiplex Broadcasting Services, which was established in 2012 to make these services widely available in the North. On the ground however, the story is very different. People are not getting access to RTÉ services for free; only those who subscribe to premium services are able to get the national channel. As we know, people are moving away from television and are using smart devices and laptops etc. as a viewing platform. As a result, it is proposed to broaden out the collection of licence fees to account for this and to bring in more funding to develop the digital services. I support that but ask here today - and will do so again and again - that when developing these new services, RTÉ remembers to provide full access for our EU and Irish citizens in the North.

At the moment, citizens in Northern Ireland cannot access the RTÉ app as it is presumed they are in Britain due to IP address issues when they try to log on. What is the point in carrying out extensive improvements to our digital service when RTÉ is limiting or blocking access to citizens in Northern Ireland? This is not acceptable. It has been stated that RTÉ's current strategy is focusing on developing the digital service. There are Irish citizens in Northern Ireland who have the same loyalty to the brand of RTÉ as I have myself and they should not be discriminated against by being blocked from using it. Residents in the Six Counties must be and should be treated the same and have the same access as residents in the South, not to mention those with Irish connections who live abroad and have similar problems in respect of only being able to watch certain programmes. I want RTÉ and others to take this into consideration in their current strategies, including RTÉ's five-year strategy.

I allude to the issue of Brexit and North-South relationships. The Ceann Comhairle might ask why. I have long contended that we are influenced by the print and social media that we read. If we do not provide access and a balance of opposing views on many issues, such as North-South relations and, indeed, Brexit, it is my view that we will never understand the middle Ireland I know and the area from which I come. I commend the committee on its efforts and ask that we talk about an Ireland of equals and an Ireland for all.

One can go anywhere in the world and log into one's local radio station or RTÉ News, at times. Every citizen of this country living abroad wanting to hear news from home and people living on this island need access to all these services but they also must respect that they have to pay for them. It might not be popular with the electorate to say this but I support the concept of paying for services. It is unfair that some people are not subscribing. I agree with Deputy Stanley that we should retain the fee at €160 until such time as issues in regard to those are not paying have been sorted. I agree with Deputy Lawless that those entitled to free access, such as the elderly, should continue to be exempt from paying the fee.

See this speech in context