Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 343: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent of the TV licence fund reserve; the annual income from TV licences; the way in which it is spent; the way in which this compares with established practices over the years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17018/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Television licence revenue is generated from the sales of television licences and the recoupment of the cost of free television licences from the Department of Social and Family Affairs. There is no fund reserve as such because the revenue generated is received and paid out on an ongoing basis. The annual income generated from television licences was €226.2m in 2009.

Under Section 123 of the Broadcasting Act, 2009, with the approval of the Minister for Finance, I may pay RTÉ in respect of each financial year an amount equal to the total of receipts in that year in respect of broadcasting (TV) licence fees less (i) any expenses incurred in relation to the collection of those fees, and (ii) an amount being equal to 7% of these net television licence fee receipts, which is paid under Section 156 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland in respect of the Broadcasting Funding Scheme. This amount was increased from 5% to 7% under the 2009 Act, to support public service broadcasting activities. In effect, therefore, RTÉ is now being paid 93% of net television licence fee receipts on an annual basis.