Cancelling TV licence in protest

wush06 · 29-06-2023 07:58AM #1

Thinking of cancelling my TV licence in protest over this RTÉ scandal. I pay by direct debit each month so I think I will cancel it for July. Anyone thinking the same way?

Eldudeson · 29-06-2023 08:41AM

I can't help thinking that if this was France, the entire country would get together to let the government know that they work for us and not the other way round.

In the grand scheme of things, this is at the low end of a waste of public money but at the same time there are probably thousands of contracts like this in other parts of the public service!!!

Anyway, don't pay by direct debit so no protest for me next month :(

ancapailldorcha · 29-06-2023 09:00AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120780764#Comment_120780764

French protests don't seem to make much difference though. Their pension age is still going up regardless of the fuss they made about resisting it.

Eldudeson · 29-06-2023 09:17AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120780820#Comment_120780820

Their 35 hour working week where the boss isn't allowed by law to contact you outside that, along with the now 64 retirement age after going up would say they're doing something right! I'm in work so I can't spend much time googling everything else they've protested and won.

Peregrinus · 29-06-2023 09:39AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120780867#Comment_120780867

The 35-hour working week was not secured by protests; it was an initiative of the Jospin government of 1997-2002.

Changes to the rules around the 35-hour working week proposed in 2016 did meet with protests, but the protests were not successful; the changes were enacted and are in force.

SteM · 29-06-2023 09:46AM

I wasn't even aware you could pay it monthly by direct debt up until now. We just stick €15 per month in a revolut folder and then use that to pay it every 12 months. Ours is due on 01/07.

ancapailldorcha · 29-06-2023 10:27AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120780867#Comment_120780867

Peregrinus beat me to it. It was enacted by a Socialist government IIRC, not as a result of protests.

TokTik · 29-06-2023 10:29AM

Can't cancel what I've never had.

Hyperbollix · 29-06-2023 06:22PM

I hope this fiasco leads to mass licence fee payment refusal. That's the only thing that will make this govt wake up and actually hold these RTE shysters to account....

It's far more likely however that RTE won't be held to account and the govt will just offload collection to revenue.

windowcills · 29-06-2023 06:30PM

Do they do revenue audits on self employed people who dont pay it

29-06-2023 06:37PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120783831#Comment_120783831

Revenue has nothing to do with the TV licence

NIMAN · 29-06-2023 06:37PM

The problem with mass boycott of the TV licence is that Rte will be in even more dire financial trouble going forward, and you the taxpayer will have to give them another bail out to help them keep the lights on.

Ultimately won't make any difference, other that sending a signal. Which might do some good I suppose.

Mrs OBumble · 29-06-2023 07:12PM

Stop watching the idiot-box altogether.

Less advertising revenue to pay celebrities will sort things out pretty quickly.

ancapailldorcha · 29-06-2023 07:49PM

Contact your TD.

29-06-2023 07:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058302865/cancelling-tv-licence-in-protest

I bet you won't.

RonanG86 · 29-06-2023 07:59PM

Honestly, I think all that'll happen is you'll be caught and prosecuted. And the presiding judge will be unmoved by your protest.

Mo Ghile Mear · 29-06-2023 08:17PM

I have to say I watch a lot of RTE and very little of the other channels (Virgin media etc). I like the fact that most things on RTE are Irish generated or relate to life here, and there's a huge amount of crap on other channels that's UK or American based.

RTE do great documentaries, current affairs coverage, Irish sport coverage etc.

So in spite of all that's going on I'll still suppport it. I don't want to throw out the baby with the bath water.

Hopefully better governance will come out of all this. But I'd dread to think of our public broadcasting service becoming a skeleton service, starved of money, mass redundancies, and over dependent on advertising revenue.

Warts and all I think it's streets ahead of the opposition, and it's ours.

29-06-2023 08:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058302865/cancelling-tv-licence-in-protest

If you do cancel your direct debit, just know that you won't be able to go back on direct debit until you've paid for one licence in full.

Good luck with your protest.

Whocare · 29-06-2023 08:40PM

I didn't pay my TV licence in over 5 years and only pay then because inspector came to door and said if you pay I think within 7 days that be end of it ie no prosecution. if TV licence inspector did come to door I seen it online don't give them your name and don't tell who you are don't engage with them walk away as if don't know who you are(name) it impossible for them to summons you.

buried · 29-06-2023 08:43PM

Take your television set out the back garden and literally smash the weaponised propaganda unit until its become dustbound to the moon.

Loafing Oaf · 29-06-2023 08:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120783857#Comment_120783857

the taxpayer will have to give them another bail out to help them keep the lights on.

Likely to be more comprehensive than that in such a scenario, the government would probably resurrect the recommendation of the Future of Media Commision for direct excequer funding of RTE, thereby taking control out of punters' hands for good and all.

wush06 · 29-06-2023 08:51PM

Went with it put a refusal on it for 6 months probably am going against the wind and will probably have to pay it all back. But for some reason I feel better about it 😂😂

Ginger83 · 29-06-2023 08:52PM

Don't pay it anyway

Loafing Oaf · 29-06-2023 08:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120783973#Comment_120783973

You'll have to get rid of your tv entirely if you want to scape liability for the licence. And even that loophole may be cancelled fairly soon

https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/rte-calls-household-fee-make-26026308

BagofWeed · 29-06-2023 09:11PM

I've never paid it. But I've had some laughs over the years at the efforts the inspector has put in to try and get me to pay it. Builders were still on site when the first of many letters appeared. I'm sure he has heard me roaring laughing when he has been at the front door.

Got another letter about three weeks ago and on it he said he observed a tv which if true means he snooped over the patio so he was a lucky man I wasn't there to see him. Funnily enough my tv can't be seen through the patio because of the angle its at and the edge of a curtain blocks it so he is lying too. Another reason for me not to pay it.

baldbear · 29-06-2023 09:19PM

We paid it when we bought our gaff. The Mrs gave her name and didn't want the hassle of the payment letters. It's a joke payment. Rte living off the taxpayer. And the salaries are an absolute joke.

Firblog · 29-06-2023 09:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058302865/cancelling-tv-licence-in-protest

I must've had a premonition, stopped paying licence 15 years ago

BattleCorp · 29-06-2023 09:23PM

If a load of people don't get/renew their TV licence, the Government will just bring in the 'Broadcasting Charge' sooner rather than later. This will be a blanket tax on everyone, whether or not you own a TV so any protest will achieve fcukall in the long term.