Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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77. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the latest plans for the planned introduction of the proposed public broadcasting charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38998/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Programme for Government committed to examining the role and collection of the TV licence fee in light of existing and projected convergence of technologies and to transforming the TV licence into a household based Public Service Broadcasting Charge to be applied to all eligible households and applicable businesses, regardless of the device used to access content or services. The primary objective in introducing such a charge is to secure a more stable funding stream for public service broadcasting than the current TV Licence system provides. I believe that this is particularly necessary in light of the current high level of evasion and the impact that technological developments are having on the way that media is consumed. The Government is committed to providing adequate funding for public service broadcasting in a time of stretched family budgets and limited exchequer funds. I believe a public service broadcasting charge could contribute to this, while reflecting the changing ways that viewers now access public service broadcasting .In terms of the introduction of such a charge, in my statement on 21 April 2015 regarding the publication of the NewERA and Indecon reports, I indicated that I had advised Government that it would not be possible to replace the TV licence fee with a public service broadcasting charge within the lifetime of this Government on the basis that there is a need to build public understanding and support for the introduction of such a charge before it could be introduced.