Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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265. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reviews currently taking place or due to take place before Budget 2022 regarding the television licence fee. [9855/21]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The Programme for Government provided for the establishment of the Future of Media Commission to consider the future of print, broadcast, and online media in a platform agnostic fashion. The independent commission, chaired by Professor Brian MacCraith, is tasked with examining the challenges facing the sector and to consider the extent to which the current models of delivery are the appropriate ones for the next 10 years. It will examine how the public service media can be funded in a way that is sustainable, gives greater security of funding, ensures independent editorial oversight and delivers value for money to the public. It is expected that this will include consideration of the current television licence fee model.

The Commission has held a public consultation and are currently in the process of engaging with key stakeholders in a series of thematic dialogues. I look forward to receiving the Commission's Report on the completion of its work.

Any considerations in relation to the current TV Licence fee model and collection system will be in the context of the outcome of the Commission's deliberations.