Government still burying their heads in the sand on TV Licence fee – Joanna Byrne TD

Thursday 6th March 2025, 14:44 pm

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Media, Communications and Sport, Joanna Byrne TD, raised the matter of TV Licence reform in the Dáil with the new Media Minister this week.

Speaking after raising the matter in the chamber, Teachta Byrne said:

“A vibrant, diverse, financially sustainable, and independent media sector is critical to any well-functioning democracy.

“Across Europe the TV Licence model is being phased out.

“It is being phased out because it is outdated and does not work.

“The Future of Media Commission in 2022 recommended that the TV Licence fee be replaced by direct exchequer funding in 2024.

“But the government chose to ignore that recommendation and to kick the can down the road.

“In the last Dáil term, just last year, the Media Committee also officially recommended the TV licence fee should be abolished and replaced with Exchequer funding. Some government representatives on that committee at that time voted to replace the TV Licence.

“And again, the government sat on their hands.

“Both bodies made these recommendations after long and considered discussions, and consideration of all the information required to make such a decision.

“They were not kneejerk reactions to the multiple and in some cases, the still unresolved scandals around governance and spending in RTÉ and in fact the Future of Media Commission recommendation was before any of the RTÉ Scandals were unearthed.

“But the government has chosen to retain the TV Licence and give RTÉ a three-year top-up of €725m, but with no clear plan after that.

“But we in Sinn Féin did our due diligence and did costings, we introduced a PMB last year and we made it our party policy and general election pledge to replace the TV License fee.

“Unlike this government, we intend to honour our pledges.

“The government is burying their heads in the sand when it comes to TV Licence fee reform.

“They are ignoring all of the available evidence and report after report that tells them the TV Licence fees day is over.

“They may kick the can down the road, but this matter is not going away.”

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