Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

I second the amendment. Senator O'Toole is probably barking up the wrong tree because the dog licence is still in being. I fully support Senator O'Toole's comments on this issue. Sending somebody to prison for non-payment of a television licence is ludicrous. If somebody was sentenced to just one day in prison I suggest it would cost a great deal more to keep that person in prison than the cost of a television licence. It is ludicrous.

On the question of advertising, it is probably costing more in advertising than the revenue we are getting in from television licences because the advertisements appears to be on every few minutes on radio and television. We must have a more humane system in place because sending people to prison for not paying their television licence belongs to a darker era. We should consider an attachment of earnings, as suggested in the amendment.

I hope the Minister of State will accept this amendment. It is nonsensical to have votes on amendments as sensible as the one before the House this evening. I ask the Minister of State to respond accordingly.