Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I asked the Minister a simple question and I ask for a simple answer: has he or his Department engaged with Revenue about the potential of collecting a new charge? Do not force me to put down a freedom of information request; these are questions to the Minister.

This system is broken. One third of households do not pay for the TV licence and 9,000 people are dragged before the courts every year for not paying for the TV licence. The numbers are getting worse as the year goes on. Before there was ever a scandal in RTÉ and confidence in it was shattered, the Government's commission considered international best practice and the best way to fund future media content to make sure there are proper revenues to support jobs in the industry and public service broadcasting. It recommended abolishing the TV licence and funding public service content through Exchequer funding. That is exactly what Sinn Féin would do; we would abolish the TV licence and ensure that the money comes from the Exchequer licence, which would ensure RTÉ and other broadcasters could continue, knowing there is secure funding. Three years on, we still do not have a clue about what the Government plans to do. It has had this report for three years. Has the Minister's Department engaged with Revenue to look at collecting a new charge? Will he answer that question truthfully on the floor of the Dáil? It is not acceptable that he gives more information to RTÉ than to TDs in this House.

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