Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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189. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on the future of the television licence fee system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48344/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Government has accepted the recommendations of the Working Group on the Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting that the TV licence be put out to public tender. The Government has also agreed that an amendment to give effect to this decision be introduced at the Committee stage of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill, 2019. That legislation completed Second Stage in the Dáil in October 2019. The contract for TV licence collection will be for a period of 5 years in order to make it feasible for the successful tenderer to invest in the database and collection improvements. At the end of the contract period, the licence fee will be replaced by a device-independent charge to support public service content.