Scrap TV licence and fund RTÉ through the Exchequer instead, Kildare TD says

A Kildare-based TD has called on the government to get rid of the TV licence.

Instead, Sinn Féin (SF) TD Réada Cronin has suggested that the government fund RTÉ and other public-service media through direct Exchequer funding.

Elaborating on her views, Ms Cronin said: "It's clear that financial scandals at RTÉ have rocked people's trust and confidence in the national broadcaster and the TV licence, with the number of people refusing to pay soaring in the aftermath of these scandals. 

"60 people per day face prosecution for non-payment... a staggering 13,000 people were summoned before the courts last year while no one has been held to account for the incredible waste of public money at RTÉ."

Réada Cronin (TD) of Sinn Féin.

She continued: "Government parties are actively considering replacing the licence fee with a new household charge to be collected by Revenue.

"They are determined to continue seeing people prosecuted for non-payment.

"This needs to stop, and we need a funding model that delivers and sustains vibrant and diverse public sector broadcasting and an independent media sector."

"Sinn Féin TDs Thomas Gould and Pearse Doherty are today publishing our proposals and announcing a Dáil motion on this issue, which will be debated this week.

"I am calling on Government TDs here in North Kildare to support our proposals to abolish the licence fee with immediate effect and instead directly invest Exchequer funding in a platform-neutral Media Fund, which would support RTÉ and TG4 as well as public service content production and activities of commercial, local and community providers, and introduce a legal amnesty from prosecution for those who have not paid their licence fee."

Ms Cronin said that the public 'wants decisive action on this' and added that the public has 'had enough of the mixed messages from the government.' 

She concluded: "It is now time to act; the government must scrap the TV licence and fund RTÉ and other public service media through direct Exchequer funding."