Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree entirely with the Leader's deft handling of the Order of Business. Managing two Seanad reform Bills on one day in the House is not easy. The second Bill, by Senator John Crown, will only take one or two minutes but it is great to get it behind us.

I refer to the number of people jailed for not paying their television licence fee. The number increased by 50% last year. I knew people did not pay their television licence as it has a 15% non-compliance rate. That 50% more people are going to jail for not paying their television licence fee means there must be a better solution than the one we have. This is particularly the case when the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, says that next year he will do away with the television licence in so far as everyone must pay a licence fee irrespective of whether they have a television set. It will increase the number of people who go to jail. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, is already concerned about the number of people going to jail. I had no idea so many people were going to jail for not paying their television licence fee.

I refer to what has been announced about substituting low carbon streetlamps in Scotland. The savings arising from 100% low energy streetlamps are considerable. In Aberdeenshire, 40,000 streetlamps were costing a substantial sum, £1.6 million, and streetlamps made up 10% of the total carbon footprint of Fife Council. The measures, which include investment of £350 million in low carbon measures, will reduce energy bills by £900 million in respect of streetlamps alone. I have not heard this being discussed and it is something to which we should draw attention. Scotland set the example and we can learn from it.