The Taoiseach Simon Harris has said that if the Government chooses a new licence fee model to fund RTÉ, the price of the licence could fall depending on the method of collection.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Mr Harris said: “If there’s a more efficient way of collecting the TV licence fee, does that actually mean that people who go out and pay their bills all the time and pay the license fee could actually get a little reprieve in terms of paying a little less? That is definitely one option.”
Mr Harris said the Government intended to decide on the future funding model in July.
He said he had an open mind on what funding option was appropriate.
“But I do have a couple of criteria or guiding principles. Firstly, public service broadcasting is about RTÉ but it’s not just about RTE.
“There are lots of examples of good public service broadcasting. Secondly, anything we do has to be sustainable, no more sticking plasters, this has to be sustainable.
“Thirdly, it does need to continue to be linked to the reform agenda.”
Over 800,000 people paid license fee last year
Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe said around 820,000 people paid the television licence fee last year, which brought in around €130 million.
“There’s a lot of people paying a television licence, bringing in an awful lot of money.
“I’ve done budgets in which the total amount of money that the entire Government have had available to us to fund new measures has been between €800 million to €900 million.
“So, if we decide we’re not going to keep the television licence and we cancel it, that’s €130 million we have to find somewhere else.”
Minister Donohoe said he continues to be in favour of the television licence, or a version of it that goes into RTÉ in a way that is separate to the Budget process that the Government does.
“I believe it’s important for RTÉ and I believe it’s important for the governance of RTÉ in the time ahead.”
He said that a decision on who collects the licence fee has yet has to be made and that at present, it is done through a hybrid model with An Post playing a role in relation to it.
Minister Donohoe said Revue collection is an option, “but I think what is more important than looking at who collects it, it’s making the case for the licence and the impact that having a licence can make to the funding of RTÉ.”
He added that media and broadcasters are what matter in all that and “I think we do a reasonably good job of that in Ireland, if not a good job, and I’d like to see that continue”.
