Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The vast majority do pay the TV licence fee. That underpins independence in public service media. We need ongoing support for that to be in a sustainable and long-term funding position. As I said in other domains, I support the ongoing contribution by the public to public service media and the TV licence. We are committed to making a decision on this matter in the coming weeks.

In fiscal terms, the solution to everything is not to just abandon the contribution people make, whether that is tax or the TV licence. We have to pay for the wider expenditure in our State, including public service media. If we were to remove the TV licence or ongoing contribution, that money would have to be found elsewhere. There is not an endless amount that can be allocated to new expenditure lines.

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