Dee Forbes banging the RTE TV licence drum again 60m uncollected fee *poll not working - pl ignore*

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122417233#Comment_122417233

This would be a very strange move. The TV licence is much like a bill, you pay it not your landlord, its not like the property tax. Were is the legislation for this?

Atlantic Dawn

At the moment hotels and commercial operators here are charged a €160 licence no matter how many TVs they have on the premises, they want to move to the UK model where the first 15 TVs would come in at €160 and each additional 5 TVs would be €160.

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/business-and-organisations/hotels-hostels-mobile-units-and-campsites-aud13

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122417246#Comment_122417246

I FoI'd An Post a few years ago to find out the number of commerical providers paying their licence fee and the numbers that have been taken to court for failure to pay, and the number that have been find and the numbers that have had reminder letters sent to them. Happy to let you get guess what they came back with.

The idea of adding businesses to the licence fee not so long ago was to increase the amount going to the national broadcaster. This was never reviewed.

amlinopta

Claire McNamara and Kate Varley sharing the report from Paris on the 6-1 news. No reason for having both of them. The junket has begun in earnest

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122417288#Comment_122417288

An now leave poor RTÉ alone, they've a whole month in Paris, hard work.

Oh look July 29th see 1pm, 6.1 and 9 news go on the bus mans holiday.

Good Morning also : -

Shan Doras

I know the concept of the TV licence is very outdated in 2024 but the Brits STILL to this day have the option of a Black and white TV licence, it's also about 100£ cheaper than a colour TV licence, which interestingly shows that it was once a progressive tax in that those who could afford to buy/rent a coloured set payed a higher licence more then the person who could only afford a b&w one. Anyway, we scraped the b&W licence in the late 90s iIrc, it's amazing that the Brits have kept it on the books, essentially after the 2012 Analogue switch off

hotmail.com

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122417795#Comment_122417795

Sometimes nice to keep odd quirks going for no reason.

Amazing reports tonight about this 725 million euro bailout for RTE in the next 3 years.

I suspect this will get buried in the RTE obsession with American politics and they've good reason to distract the public at the moment.

hotmail.com

Claire Byrne gone on holidays for 5 or 6 weeks. On 280 grand.

And they expect the public to swallow this bailout?

ForestFire

Wow…

"A proposal for RTÉ to get public funding of €725 million over the next three years is to go to Cabinet tomorrow."

This is on the level of the new Children's hospital funding!!! almost 1 billion Euro for what!!

We could build a full second hospital even at the current cost in another 9 years!!

"The three coalition party leaders met tonight to sign off on the proposals.

The TV licence fee will remain at its current rate of €160 per year.

An Post will retain the contract to collect the charge.

However, An Post will be given €6m in funding over three years to improve collection rates by updating technology and databases."

Is this 6M extra or what do they normally get? Another 6M to quash the protest from ordinary people.

Seriously thinking or ditching my lovely OLED TV (Black Friday deal, and using 99% for streaming/Bluray) and going to a projector or some other not terrestrial receiving monitor of some sort??

Damien360

Laughable package for Rte and a nice slap on the back for a job well done. Waste money and create accounts outside the jurisdiction, get caught and you get €725m funding plus advertising plus licence fee.

No conditions and all signed off just before the Dáil summer holidays so it will be old news in a few months.

Pay increases all around for the usual suspects just in case a UK company should grab them. Sure isn't Tubs wanted everywhere.

CH3OH

There has to be a typo in that amount €725 million ???

Surely it should be €275

Which is still Crazy money!

Cyclonius

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122418350#Comment_122418350

You could also have a look at some digital signage and professional displays. I got a Sony FW-55BZ40H for €650-700, and it has all the normal TV features (runs Android TV, has all of the normal Android TV options, etc.), with the sole exception (that I can see) of a TV tuner. No TV tuner, no means of picking up public service broadcasting, and no TV licence needed. Just send in your declaration to An Post, and the licence part of the problem is solved.

JP Liz V1

A proposal for RTÉ to get public funding of €725 million over the next three years is to go to Cabinet tomorrow.

This figure includes paid-for TV licences, free TV licences and an Exchequer funding top up to bring it to the agreed level.

The exact amount of Exchequer funding will depend on the amount collected in TV licence revenue.

The three coalition party leaders met tonight to sign off on the proposals.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122418414#Comment_122418414

jj880

Insanity.

Hotblack Desiato

Outrageous amount of money.

Ten Pin

RTE and govt are like 2 drunks propping each other up on the dancefloor after wandering around the dancehall all night stealing drinks from the tables.

Atlantic Dawn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122418379#Comment_122418379

That's €5million a week, is there some major infrastructure build needed or where is the money going? Surely they can't be needing that amount for day to day running costs. Remember them getting €107.5 million in 2017 for the land sale to Cairn Homes, where did that go?

Tow

It went into two new 'High Tech' radio studios. Lucky they still had the old studio as a backup last Friday.

Baba Yaga

shite on a stick…jesus h furkin christ…like what the furk…? €725MILLIONS??? for what? load of shite! feckin screw paddy public in the arse yet again!!! surely every one knows sweet fa is going to change in rte,be another load of waffle and bollixology next year looking for even more money ffs…still say shouldve closed it down,brought in the fraud squad and made dee and her mates answer questions from a holding cell…

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122412610#Comment_122412610

100%

bigroad

Top brass are all connected to government, wasn't Dee a friend of Leo and no dought Simon after all his brother walked out with a nice chunk of money after costing 2 millions worth of dept .

Once they keep the government narrative they will recieve all the handouts they need

bigroad

Yes and just to add all four of these chancers left their jobs for some strange reason.

corcaigh07

How are the Government not getting in the auditors to comb through RTE’s books?

I get that it’s a tricky subject before a general election but what’s the long term plan because it’s a basket case as is…

Baba Yaga

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122419134#Comment_122419134

i think the only planning in rte thats going on is to get the champagne on ice asap and have a pish up!!! as for the "goverment" they dont give one shiny shite,its holiday time…

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122418562#Comment_122418562

So basically no different to how it was before.

Well that was a valuable use of time wasn't it?

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122419134#Comment_122419134

A: the cross-pollination between RTE and FF/FG/etc. - the coveney's for example, an audit would be 'incovenient' for many of the political top brass.

B: RTE still has plenty of reach in the country, for a political party to antagonise them ahead of an election would be risky, even if they did have 90% of the country on their side. RTE is a basket case with poor output, waste and redundancy everywhere, but they do seem have a great ability to scrap like dogs when threatened. See the constant throwing of SF under the bus.

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122419134#Comment_122419134

Fergal Bowers is over in the US covering the US election. Its not until November 5th. So, 104 days from now, lets give him 2 days to recover after it before he flies home.

(Very, very conservative estimates)

106 days * hotel room ~$150 a night

A per diem of $150 a day

Is $31,800 as well as his usual salary.

I work for a multi billion dollar company and I have to beg to travel to a foreign europe based office for a week. Any longer would need senior management approval. We have shareholders if we run out of money to explain to. RTE just goes back to the dail, cap in hand.

Soc_Alt

So why the double tax for RTE?

Why not just take it from the exchequer?

Quags

Have to hand it to the Government on this, seen the backlash and lies from RTE & public and thought what better way to fix RTE than giving them even more money that will be wasted in the following years.

RTE should be like Sky Sports, if you want it then you pay for it otherwise leave the public fund alone

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122419390#Comment_122419390

As someone on Morning Ireland pointed out, in Czechia the money for the TV license is a fee added on to everyones electricity bill. So zero avoidance. No need for inspectors. No need for ads on TV and Radio telling people they need to pay it etc. No people up in court for not paying it.

Then the Morning Ireland presenter said "Oh but that would have political implications".

And the focus group in the Dail for the last 9 months didn't?!?

I despair at this country sometimes.

Soc_Alt

What I don't understand is why the Oireachtas don't drag in the RTE board and the DG again and go through the fcuking RTE1 TV guide for today or any other day and ask they need so much money when a large majority of programme are Foreign?

I would think ( And I could be stupid) that what we are paying to RTE, they are then paying Foreign countries for licences to broadcast this programming.

So the cash for a majority of the programmes is leaving the country.

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122419453#Comment_122419453

RTE should be like Sky Sports, if you want it then you pay for it otherwise leave the public fund alone

We don't have political parties of any significance who would contemplate such a broadcasting policy. If you want that sort of RTE funding model you'll have to start putting guys like this in the Dail

https://gript.ie/cllr-calls-for-end-to-funding-as-rte-receives-e20-million-in-interim-payment/#:~:text=In%20response%20to%20the%20news,of%20bias%20in%20its%20reporting.

In response to the news on funding Independent Councillor, Gavin Pepper said that “taxpayers money should not be used to prop up RTÉ”.

(amusing the Gript article doesn't name the 'independent councillor' until halfway down and never mentions his political allegiance…)

Hyperbollix

The idea that this money is contingent on RTE carrying out items on an action plan is laughable. They need the cash. They get the cash. Otherwise another funding crisis rears it's head and the whole sorry saga is in the spotlight yet again, something no government wants.

Government coffers are groaning. Pay them and make it go away. Was it every going to be any other outcome?

Cluedo Monopoly

I love how this bailout is announced in the final cabinet meeting and after the Dail went into recess. Very very cynical. They are a useless shower.

ForestFire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122419390#Comment_122419390

I agree here

If I don't pay my TV licence, they will take it from me through tax anyway

If I do pay my TV licence, they will still take it from me in tax again!!

Does anyone have a contact in Groupon or similar site. If they get cheap energy prices, and Spa days, could they not organise a mass professional TV (without Ariel input) so if we buy 1000s of TVs we'll get a good discount.

55 inch 4k should suit most people?

But I guess if we do this the tax is going up but at least it's just a once of cost.

Shan Doras

Do you remember what happened back in the 00s when RTE became awash with Money after Bertie Ahern's government gave them a big increase in the TV licence from about 100€ to 155€ ? They used it to pay Pat Kenny 995k per year and Gerry Ryan 650k per year and Joe Duffy used to get 10 weeks off in the summer

CH3OH

Reports today suggest that Dublin Airport are about to enter an agreement with RTE to lease the car park at Montrose until September in an attempt to alleviate high demand for parking at Dublin Airport.

A spokesman is reported to have said that Montrose is like a ghost town from June to September and the first 1000 bookings will get 2 free pairs of flip flops and a €20 discount on the TV licence.

😉

Baba Yaga

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122420067#Comment_122420067

oh yessss!!! sign me up and take MORE of my money!!!! i want…no…i DEMAND my flip-flops!!!!

padd b1975

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122420067#Comment_122420067

Probably sounded funny in your head.

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122420214#Comment_122420214

I thought it was serious until he mentioned the flip flops.

Goes to show you how mad the world has become.

Oxo Moran

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122419134#Comment_122419134

They've been talking about changing from the licence fee model for many governments.

Harris took the easiest option available. Not even RTE are happy. Nothing to see here, business as usual.

FF/FG/Green have failed the tax payer and rewarded the chancers.

SonicSuper

This is just how things work in Ireland, we reward incompetency. Nothing will ever change.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122420250#Comment_122420250

Well said. Harris in full election mode now -i.e. do-nothing mode.

Brendan Bendar

The Brenner was sitting on a bar stool listening to Emma O'Kelly being interviewed by Rachel English on the News at One.

Rachel asked her quite timidly, I thought ,a rhetorical question like 'Why should the Taxpayer put money into RTE given the profligacy and wastage just experienced'

O'Kelly ignored the question almost totally and straight away I concluded that nothing is going to change out there.

They haven't learned their lesson, the Govt bottled it, they will continue to corn hole John Q Taxpayer and laugh in his face.

kazamo

RTE must be delighted with the declared third revenue stream established now.

Licence, Advertising and now a backstop of state funding.

People need to boycott the licence as they are on the hook to fund them through direct taxation anyway.

Rip off Ireland is thriving

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122419784#Comment_122419784

It also shows again how detached this government is from the public mood. They seem to live in a bubble of their own up there. It's well known and evidenced that there is simmering discontent with the licence fee, those who pay, those who don't and the abuse of this money in RTE. Combined with the useless collection system of An Post.

They have an opportunity to grasp the nettle, to lance the boil, an open goal and … they fouk it up. Bottlers.

Maybe RTE is useful to them as an arm of government publicity, a spin machine - if so, let it be funded by the Dept Taoiseach and we'll all be clear then. Did I hear Paschal reported as saying they wouldn't forego the licence as it was a ready means to get money in? For that alone, he or whoever said, should be booted into the Irish Sea. And there should be a mass boycott to tell him to shove his patronising up his whole.

jj880

Anyone got a good link that sums up Tubsgate and what followed?

After this sweetheart deal for RTE I wouldn't mind a refresher just to depress myself with the state of regulation / accountability in this country.

Beta Ray Bill

The whole thing has gone so far beyond a joke now

€750,000,000…. Like that is an incredible sum on money for a company that runs a few radios stations, 3.5 TV channels and two orchestras.

How is that number justified? How are the likes of TV3 able to survive on their own two feet and RTE are not despite there being a license fee.

And all this on the back drop over a heap of scandal's, missed targets, unfulfilled promises and political hype that never amounts to anything.

Like imagine for example you're a person affected by Mica with the government unwilling to chase the builders or material providers responsible for your house falling apart. Nor will they fully reimburse you. Yet they're prepared to have over 3/4 of a Billion to management in Montrose after they've mismanaged the hell out of it.

It's unbelievable, I do not get why people voted in FF/FG in the last local election. I'm not saying vote for SF but literally anyone would be better.

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122420673#Comment_122420673

I am 1 of those people. House falling down round me with defective concrete. A house Ive been paying a mortgage on for 16 years. You are 100% correct. It sticks in the craw seeing this shyite going on. Only a few weeks ago Tubs up here in Donegal lumping his cash from RTÉ's slush fund into Muff Liquor that he "wasnt legally compelled" to return.

Im not looking to start a concrete debate but I feel like why the feck did I bother investing in this country by buying a home? There was no regulation. Quarries were allowed operate by councils here based on the CE mark as product insurance. The CE mark allows a 3 year statute of limitations on concrete. Just think about that for a second. 3 years for concrete. Its systemic. RTE is just a very public example at the moment.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122420604#Comment_122420604

She should be asking management that question not the local head of the NUJ.