RTÉ Says The Amount Of "No TV" Homes Has Risen By 15%

Friday, 21 January 2022 10:30

By Caoimhe Harney

Fee evasion is at an all time high.

RTÉ estimates it's currently losing 65 million euro a year as a result of people evading the fee.

It's heard the evasion rate of the fee reached 15 per cent in 2020, while the amount of 'no-tv homes has also grown to 15 per cent.

Representatives told the Public Accounts Committee that it wants to see the TV licence fee reformed to capture revenue from those not currently paying it.

The head of RTÉ has warned that the TV licence fee system is utterly broken.

RTE told the public accounts committee today that an increase in the licence fee would be unfair to those currently paying it.

Director General Dee Forbes says it's instead calling for the fee to be reformed to capture households evading it.

The broadcaster was grilled on a number of issues, not least the quality of the RTE player by Kildare North TD Deputy Catherine Murphy.

Ms Forbes said she wants to iron out the issues with the player but said RTE don't have the resources to compete with other UK broadcasters on demand products.

The Committee heard that advertising revenue is facing a lot of challenges but broadcaster has committed to diversifying revenues.

But the broadcaster warned it cannot continue to deliver its remit for the people of Ireland without adequate public funding.

RTÉ says it's not calling for an increase in the TV license fee.

Representatives from the broadcaster were before the Public Accounts committee on Thursday morning.

Social Democrats Co - Leader Kildare North TD and Deputy Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Catherine Murphy spoke with Clem Ryan on Friday morning's Kildare Today.