Broadcasting levy of €160 is abandoned in wake of water charges revolt

THE €160 broadcasting charge due to be introduced in January has been permanently shelved by the Government, the Irish Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The charge, which was to replace the TV licence, and be imposed on every household in the country whether they have a television or not, will not be introduced in the lifetime of the current Government as a direct result of the water charges debacle.

Ministers and TDs confirmed to the MoS that the planned charge has been abandoned for fear of another national revolt.

Sources in RTÉ have

‘It’s too controversial an issue to go ahead’

expressed deep concern about the long-term funding of the State broadcaster.

Former communications minister Pat Rabbitte launched the plan in July 2013, and the charge was to be introduced from next month. However, Mr Rabbitte was sacked in the summer Cabinet reshuffle and it appears his pet project has gone the same way.

Fianna Fáil’s communications spokesman Michael Moynihan says he plans to raise the issue this week.

‘The bill to introduce this charge has not been published, the heads of the bill have not been published, so there is very little chance of us seeing this legislation before the end of the current Dáil. I will be raising this in the Dáil next week to find out what is going on.’

Communications Minister Alex White was believed to be keen to introduce the plan but a deaprtment spokesman was unable to answer questions on the issue on Friday.

But Fine Gael ministers confirmed its demise, to the anger of Opposition parties.

‘It is not on the legislation schedule for the period running up until next summer and will not be put on,’ said one minister. ‘The required legislation has not been put together and will not. It’s just too controversial an issue to go near.

‘Imagine trying to introduce a charge on every household for TV, of €160, exactly the same as the water charge?

‘There would be another revolt. Many houses don’t even have TVs and many people watch TVs and DVDs on their computers. It is a non-runner.’

It was clear that the charge was being put on the back burner from last summer, according to sources, but there is surprise even within Government circles at the decision to abandon it entirely.

And there is considerable anger in RTÉ. One in five households currently don’t pay the TV licence fee. A senior executive said yesterday: ‘It’s hard to see where the revenue is going to come from. At a time when less people are bothering to pay their TV

‘Last chance to save RTÉ in current form’

licence, and it is becoming less acceptable to ask for it considering the revolution in broadcasting. This could have been the last chance to save RTÉ in its current form.’

Failure to pay the TV licence fee is costing the Government €30m a year in lost revenue.

RTÉ director-general Noel Curran recently criticised the Government’s reluctance to reform the TV licence regime.

In an address to the Royal Television Society, Northern Ireland, earlier this month, Mr Curran said: ‘No one in our industry can stand still, and RTÉ is not standing still. But the current television licence fee system is standing still.

‘As media consumption continues to evolve, the television licence fee reflects less and less how people consume public service content. It really is long past the time for some real decisions,’ he said.

RTÉ has cut its staff by 500 in recent years and was one of the first public bodies to cut wages, achieving savings of €104m since the recession hit.