Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

-----calendar season, it occurs to me there are a few things that ought to be said. First, we should remember what is not in this legislation because this is probably the last finance Bill this Government will introduce. There are some things that I deeply regret are not in this legislation. I have spoken about them before in this House and I am not making party political points but the non-inclusion of these matters should be recognised. One of those is a matter I was dealing with today in the Joint Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment, namely, the proposal by the committee that the Revenue Commissioners be given the function of collecting a broadcasting charge instead of what the Government has done in kicking the can down the road with a five-year tender process leading to a delay of between five and seven years in reform of the manner in which public sector broadcasting is financed. It occurs to me the Revenue Commissioners is the obvious body to carry out that function. I do not want to get involved in broadcasting policy except to say that at the moment An Post engages in collecting payment for the television licence from many homes. It is an inefficient system that requires inspectors, research and a many other things of that kind to be done. If we had-----