Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 8: To ask the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if he will outline discussions he has held with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government on amalgamating the household charge with the TV licence fee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2642/12]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 15: To ask the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if he has considered the abolition of the TV licence in view of new technologies that are circumventing it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2646/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 15 together.

The current television licence system is such that, except for certain classes of social welfare recipients, if one owns a television set one is liable to pay a television licence. An Post is responsible for the collection of television licence fees and for identifying those persons who have unlicensed televisions sets.

The programme for Government commits to examining the role and collection of the television licence fee in light of existing and projected convergence of technologies and to transforming the television licence into a household based public broadcasting charge to be applied to all households and applicable businesses, regardless of the device used to access content.

In line with this commitment, my Department is examining both the effectiveness and efficiency of the existing model of television licence fee collection in the context of the changing technological environment. It is also examining the applicability of various international models for the funding of public service broadcasting. In carrying out the review to date, my Department has been mindful of the need to provide certainty as regards the funding base for public service broadcasting.

Although it is subject to a certain degree of evasion, the existing television licence fee system has provided a stable funding base for our public service broadcasters. Any changes that may be implemented on foot of the review must continue to provide a secure funding base for public service broadcasting while also recognising the reality of new mechanisms to access television content.

The replacement of the television licence fee by a household charge would not have any negative impact on those who comply with the legal requirements to have a licence and pay the fee. Since a key objective is to reduce evasion, it will, however, impact on those who evade payment. The work undertaken by my officials to date indicates that a household charge is a viable proposition for consideration which can provide a transparent funding arrangement for public service broadcasting. It can also address the issue of new mechanisms to access television content.

The work to date also highlights issues which require further consideration. The issues include how to levy and collect the charge. I hope to have a sense of the timeframe and scale of implementation involved in taking this proposal further in the coming weeks. Enabling legislation would be required for this measure. As part of their work on this issue, I can confirm my officials have held preliminary discussions with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government on the development of a suitable database of eligible households. I expect these discussions to continue once a final decision on the timeframe and scale of implementation of any household-based public broadcasting charge is made.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his comprehensive answer. As he said, if one were to introduce a broadcasting charge for every household and every applicable business, income would not go down but only up. Other platforms for watching television, such as the iPhone or whatever other way, are still a bit far-fetched for 99.9% of people. However, they are growing in popularity. Will the Minister accept the status quo is not a long-term option because of technological change?

To facilitate as wide a range a discussion as possible, will the Minister provide an issues paper on the future of the television licence for consideration by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture, so it can debate them and have a structured input in the Minister's consideration of the matter?

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The Deputy is correct the status quo is probably not feasible for two reasons, first, the phenomenon of technological convergence and, second, the extent of evasion. Notwithstanding the best efforts of An Post - I have not been given any credible argument as to why some other agency would do better than An Post - there is still a 15% evasion rate which costs RTE about €25 million a year.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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It also costs the Exchequer, TG4 and the broadcasting fund.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Yes, there is the exception of the statutory provision for TG4 and the fund. Up to €25 million in evasion is a significant factor.

While Deputy Ó Cuív claimed 99.9% of the population would not watch television on platforms other than the conventional television set, I believe there is a digital divide in that younger viewers access television content on other platforms. The Ceann Comhairle and I still watch it on the old television set. I suspect Deputy Ó Cuív likewise.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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He is still using a black and white set.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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No, I think Deputy Ó Cuív has upscaled.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister of State is very wrong. I am very good at using my iPhone.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The household charge envisaged in this question, a broadcasting charge, is not an additional charge. Such a charge would replace a television charge.

I have no hesitation in co-operating with Deputy Ó Cuív and the Opposition in presenting before an Oireachtas committee on this matter.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Would it be possible for the Department, which has access to all the legal advice and so on, to provide a preliminary paper on the issues it is examining? It would allow us to come back with our thoughts on the matter to be added into the mix and fed into the process.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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That is possible.