Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 286: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of people employed in the collection of television licenses; their remuneration; the amount of money raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13603/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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An Post acts as an agent for my Department in respect of the sale of television licences. The number of people employed by An Post for this purpose, and their remuneration, are matters for An Post and are commercially sensitive. I have no statutory function in this regard.

An Post sold 1,004,805 licences in 2006 and my Department received €156.397 million from An Post in respect of these. As the Deputy is aware, the Department of Social and Family Affairs (DSFA) is now responsible for the issuing of lifetime "free" licences in respect of those eligible under the household benefits package. DSFA paid my Department €48.7 million in 2006 for "free" licences issued.