Bertie says it’s like 2002 all over again at Montrose

FORMER taoiseach Bertie Ahern says that RTÉ is dealing with the same problems that he and senior staff discussed in 2002.

Speaking to the Irish Mail on Sunday, Mr Ahern said he sat down with RTE’s then-director general Bob Collins and then-managing director of news and current affairs Ed Mulhall, in a bid to formulate a suite of measures to help ensure RTÉ’s survival and boost its coffers.

But Mr Ahern told the MoS that while some of these measures were implemented, the ‘same mess’ has still engulfed the national broadcaster.

‘Back in 2002, RTÉ were in a similar position, and I sat down with Bob Collins and Ed Mulhall and, over a few months, we came up with a whole package of reforms and it was meant to sort out the problems. I agree with public service broadcasting but they seem to be in the same old mess again.

‘It’s a pity the licence fee isn’t properly connected, whatever way it’s done. If you don’t have public service broadcasting, I think we all lose.

‘There’s a licence fee there and like you’re meant to pay your car insurance or your ESB bill, it should be paid. If it was paid, there wouldn’t be a problem.’

In December 2002, the government increased the TV licence fee by 40%, from €107 to €150, which was expected to raise an estimated €50m for the State broadcaster.

The sale of some its Donnybrook land was also proposed. At the time Bob Collins said the decision was a ‘very positive outcome’ from RTÉ’s point of view.

The sale of the RTÉ Guide was also proposed 17 years ago, but that has yet to happen.