O'Donovan has ‘no notion' of abolishing TV licence fee or replacing it with tax on tech companies
Minister for Communications
Patrick O'Donovan
has insisted he has 'no notion' of abolishing the TV licence fee or replacing it with a tax on
big tech
companies.
Mr O'Donovan was responding in the Dáil to
People Before Profit (PBP) TD
Paul Murphy
, who described the licence fee as a 'regressive, unjust tax' where the richest and poorest households pay the same €160 fee.
Mr Murphy said increasing numbers are 'boycotting' the licence as he asked the Minister to instead tax the social media and technology giants to fund public service broadcasting.
'No, I won't, so that's the end of that,' said Mr O'Donovan. 'I have no notion of doing it. This is a fund that's in place to support RTÉ and public service broadcasters.'
READ MORE
It also supports the 'sound and vision' sectors, he said.
'I have no intention of replacing it and I have no intention of going down a cul-de-sac that Deputy Murphy would like us to do, which is a road to nowhere for RTÉ and everybody associated with broadcasting,' the Minister said. 'So the short answer is no.'
Mr Murphy said the 'tax is deeply unpopular and
licence sales have plummeted
'.
He said 950,000 paid in 2022. That figure dropped to 825,000 in 2023 and to 790,000 in 2024.
Mr Murphy said that was a fall of more than 155,000 households 'who are refusing to pay either in protest or because they cannot afford to pay this regressive flat tax, which takes no account of ability to pay'.
[
Why I stopped paying my TV licence fee: 'The whole model is broken'
Opens in new window
]
The Minister replied that 'the licence fee is not a tax. I don't see references to that anywhere in the legislation'.
Describing it as an 'important funding mechanism for RTÉ,' Mr O'Donovan said Mr Murphy seems 'to think that there's a phantom entity out there that can pay for everything'.
Mr Murphy said the licence accounted for just more than a third of funding for public service broadcasting.
He said his party's proposals included a 'radical plan' to increase funding for public service broadcasting by taxing big tech corporations.
Mr Murphy said they had a 'parasitical role' in journalism, not creating content but getting most of the advertising from it and it 'clearly makes sense to allow them to pay'.
'I'll continue to support those who refuse to pay the TV licence, and I warn you that that number is increasing,' he said, adding that the number of prosecutions was also dropping.
'You're entitled to start whatever campaign it is you want to start to undermine another public service,' Mr O'Donovan replied. 'I don't support it… and I don't think most people do either.'
He said if Mr Murphy gets an opportunity to be in government, he will 'actually see that there's more to running a public service than a megaphone'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Sinn Féin proposes orders to protect victims of sexual violence after offenders released
Victims of sexual violence could get increased protections from any potential threat by their attackers upon their release from prison under proposed legislation being put forward by Sinn Féin . Judges would be able to issue civil protection orders to apply after the offender's release under the Bill being put forward by the party. Protection orders typically ban contact with a victim, using or threatening to use violence against them, and watching or being near a victim's home. Sinn Féin's justice spokesman Matt Carthy was due to introduce the Victims of Sexual Violence Civil Protection Orders Bill 2025 at first stage in the Dáil on Thursday. READ MORE He said the legislation came about as a result of engagements he had had with a number of victims of sexual assault who 'have got increasingly worried and anxious as the date of the release of the perpetrator comes closer'. [ Ireland was a place where ruthless husbands were free to 'bounce a boot off' their wives Opens in new window ] Mr Carthy said recourse available to the victims 'has been incredibly limited', and that victims are 'dependent on the gardaí to follow up on other provisions in place'. His party colleague, Dublin South Central TD Máire Devine, said there is an 'epidemic' of violence against women, much of it perpetrated by former partners. She said protection of women and children, once offenders are released from custody, is 'of the utmost importance'. Mr Carthy said Sinn Féin's legislation would allow for a judge to apply a post-release civil protection order for offenders at the time of the initial trial, when a suspect is found guilty and sentenced. [ Anti-stalking protection orders: 'There are a lot of people who have been waiting a long time for this' Opens in new window ] He said: 'At present under the harassment law there is a provision for judges to apply these types of orders post-release, but this isn't there in terms of the civil protection orders in relation to sexual violence cases, so there's an anomaly there.' The Cavan-Monaghan TD said he is hopeful of support from all political parties and particularly the Government so the legislation can be enacted 'as a matter of priority'.
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Ballymaloe Cookery School profits soar after Kate Winslet enrolls for course
Boosted by Hollywood star Kate Winslet enrolling for a course at the Ballymaloe Cookery School last year, post-tax profits at the school increased by 53 per cent to €135,952 in 2024, according to its accounts. It recorded post-tax profits of €88,864 in 2023. The post-tax profits at the cookery school last year resulted in accumulated profits rising to €3.05 million. The total remuneration of its three directors – Darina Allen, Toby Allen and Rory O'Connell – in 2024 (including salaries and other benefits) was €329,847; the previous year they shared €336,478. READ MORE The east Cork cookery school business sits on a 100 acre organic farm, where Darina Allen is the majority shareholder. In April of last year, t came under the spotlight after Winslet enrolled in a two-and-a-half-day course there with TV chef and bestselling cookbook author Rachel Allen. The cookery school usually has more than 60 courses on offer each year and the flagship programme remains the 12-week long certificate course which runs three times every year. Already, the course for this September and January of next year is booked out, with participants paying €16,295 for September's course and €16,795 for the January option. The school increased its headcount last year, from 68 to 73 people, with staff costs rising from €2.52 million to €2.6 million. Staff numbers are made up of three directors , 70 teachers and administration staff. The profits last year take account of non-cash depreciation costs of €183,123 while directors' pay dipped slightly from €336,478 to €329,847. The firm's cash funds increased from €944,642 to €988,639. The book value of the firm's fixed assets increased marginally from €4.7 million to €4.78 million. Under the heading of 'post balance-sheet event', the accounts said that 'there is a significant risk to the global economy arising from the current geopolitical situation and the impact on energy costs and inflation'. The note added that 'this development will have implications for the activities of the company in future months. The directors are unable to quantify or determine what the extent of the implications of these matters are for the company as at the date of approval of the financial statements'. The cookery school is one of a number of businesses operated by members of the Allen family at Ballymaloe.
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Crypto trading exchange Kraken secures EU-wide licence from Central Bank
Kraken, a crypto trading exchange, has secured authorisation from the Central Bank of Ireland under new EU regulations, which the company said would allow it to expand more quickly across the Europe. It is the first licence that the Irish watchdog has issued under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (Mica), which came into effect last year. Kraken already held so-called virtual asset service provider (Vasp) registrations in Ireland and a number of other European markets, including, Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain. 'Securing a license from the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI), with its long heritage and experience as a rigorous financial regulator, isn't just about compliance. It's a powerful signal of Kraken's commitment to expanding the crypto ecosystem through responsible innovation,' said Arjun Sethi, co-chief executive of the company in a statement. READ MORE 'Over the past several years, our team has worked tirelessly to meet the CBI's gold standard regulatory expectations. This license reflects that effort and places us in a strong position to expand our product offering, grow our institutional and retail client base, and deliver secure, accessible, and fully regulated crypto services to millions more people across the EU.' The development bucks a recent trend. Gemini, the cryptocurrency exchange founded by the US billionaire Winklevoss twins, switched its headquarters from Ireland to Malta earlier this year citing a better environment for 'innovation among fintech and digital assets'. Last week, Coinbase, one of the world's biggest crypto marketplaces, revealed it had switched its European regulatory hub from Ireland to Luxembourg, where it has a Mica licence. Central Bank governor Gabriel Makhouf has long taken a sceptical view of crypto assets, saying most explicitly in a blog post two years ago that it 'might be more accurate' to describe them as 'Ponzi schemes' rather than investments. Mica aims to bring crypto under the same regulatory umbrella as traditional finance, but some fear that uneven enforcement across the EU could undermine its goals. France's financial markets regulator has publicly warned that the European Securities and Markets Authority's (Esma) lack of direct authority could lead to a 'regulatory race to the bottom'. Kraken said that its Mica authorisation, along with European licences under the markets in financial instruments directive (Mifid) and as an electronic money institution (Emi) will enable it extend its regulated offering to millions of clients across the EU. 'Together, these licenses support significant growth opportunities across retail, professional, and institutional client segments, including in spot trading, derivatives and payments,' it said.
