Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

85. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to the report of the Commission on the Future of Media, which identified the taxpayer contribution to public service media in 2020 as being €106 million, comprised of funding for free TV licences under the household benefits package worth €69.8 million and direct funding to TG4 worth €37.2 million, if she will provide the equivalent figures for 2022 and the estimates for 2023, in tabular form. [41874/23]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Future of Media Commission Report, in its analysis of future funding options, notes that in 2020 €143.8m of public service media funding was contributed by the TV Licence purchases and a further €106m through Exchequer funding. The Exchequer element comprises both direct funding of TG4 and the contribution towards the cost of free TV licences which are awarded under Department of Social Protection Household Benefits packages.

The table below presents the equivalent public service media Exchequer contributions for 2022 and 2023.

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

86. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to the report of the Commission on the Future of Media, which identified the funding contributed by TV licence payers to public service media as being €143.8 million in 2020, if she will provide the equivalent figure in 2022 and the projected figure for 2023. [41875/23]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Future of Media Commission report provides an analysis of the various sources of public funding for public service media, including funding from direct sales of TV Licences, TV Licence funding provided by the Department of Social Protection under the Household Benefits Package and direct Exchequer funding of TG4.

The figure of €143.8m, quoted in Chapter 5 of the Report refers to the net revenues from direct TV Licences sales, excluding commission paid to An Post as the statutory issuing Agent. The corresponding public service media contribution from direct TV Licence Sales for 2022 was €141.76m. It is not possible to accurately estimate the TV Licence sales from September to December 2023, so an annual figure for 2023 is not available. From January-August 2023, public service media funding from direct TV Licence sales was €82.98m.

The net revenue from direct TV Licence sales is distributed to RTÉ and Coimisiún na Mean in accordance with the provisions set down in Section 123 and Section 156 of the Broadcasting Act.

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

87. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide, in tabular form, the monthly or, if available, weekly amount of funding for public service media provided by TV licence payers in 2022; and the equivalent projected figures for 2023. [41876/23]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Net revenues from TV Licence Sales are distributed to RTÉ and the Broadcasting Fund in accordance with the provisions of Section 123 and Section 156 of the Broadcasting Act 2009. Net revenues exclude the fees paid to An Post in its statutory role as the TV Licence issuing Agent.

The table below sets out the disbursement of total Public Service Media funding (i.e. to RTÉ and the Broadcasting Fund) for 2022 and for January to August 2023 from An Post TV Licence sales, exclusive of An Post’s fee. The table also sets out TV licence funding provided by the Department of Social Protection in respect of licences issued under the Household Benefits Package, which currently amounts to €69.8m per annum.It is not possible to accurately the revenue which may arise during the remainder of 2023.

The figures are broken down on a monthly basis as this provides a better overview of trends in the issuance of TV licences, and also allows for the consolidation of direct debit payments which is carried out by An Post on a monthly basis.