Do I've to pay TV License fee?

Bonzodog · 20-02-2007 05:48PM

just what does the license pay for anyway?

I'm British, and having come over to Ireland, i think something is fishy about this. I know someone said earlier that they thought the fee went to RTE in part, but their advertising revenue would be more than enough.

No, I have a conspiracy theory;

We all know that the Irish and British Governments are in cahoots with each other (Trust me, they share social security records!), so is it not inconceivable that at least 60% of your fee is actually funding the BBC for those Irish residents that receive it over cable or Satellite?

It is well known that a majority of the country now uses cable or Satellite, which always has the BBC channels available and we all also know that Sky are not paying your BBC license fee to the UK, which leads me to think the above.

Maybe, Bertie agreed with Tony to hand over a percentage of the fee to the BBC/UK Government, and then lose the rest in government taxation.

Another thing that made me think about this - Look at the fee amount - it converts very closely to the UK license fee.
What do people think? Possible?

Mossy Monk · 20-02-2007 06:18PM

Bonzodog wrote:

What do people think?

i think you are nuts. do you per chance own a tin foil hat?

Terry · 20-02-2007 08:09PM

Bonzodog wrote:

just what does the license pay for anyway?

I'm British, and having come over to Ireland, i think something is fishy about this. I know someone said earlier that they thought the fee went to RTE in part, but their advertising revenue would be more than enough.

Population of britain: roughly 60 million.
Population of Ireland: roughly 4 million.

I think it's safe to say that the BBC receive a bit more that RTÉ, thus the need for advertising revenue.

StephenC_IRL · 25-02-2007 02:06AM

is your n64 connected using the antenna socket or the av in ? if its the av in then take a plastic covering and superglue it over the antenna socket, so it cant be removed, clean it up so it doesnt like you glued it. then claim it was part of a cctv system and you got it cheap (provided it isnt an argos brand tv like beko, alba, bush) then they should accept that if theres no way to give it a terrestrial signal then your ok

rogue-entity · 25-02-2007 05:37AM

Televisions that cannot receive a terrestrial signal, such as Monitors for CCTV are exempt from the licence fee. We had such a monitor in the parents shop, the inspector came in one day and asked if we could get the TV channels on it.. when dad told him it was just for the cameras, he just went off on his rounds, no fuss.

AFAIK You need a TV licence for ANY equipment capable of receiving television signals, so that means that even if you have no television but you had a sattelite receiver lying around, you are liable to pay the licence. You also have to pay a licence even if all you have is a TV tuner card for your PC. When networks like 3 start transmitting TV programmes over their network, owners of those mobile phones will have to pay a fee unless they have a TV licence already as in the UK. Basically, if you can receive television signals, or have any device that can, you have to pay up. Its a bitch, but that is what you get for living in this banana republic.

Oh, and the UK TV licence is much higher then ours at about £160.

InFront · 25-02-2007 06:16AM

As others have said; OP, you need a licence for equipment capable of receiving signals. That is the law. You should obey the law like everyobody else.

admiralofthefleet · 25-02-2007 06:25AM

InFront wrote:

As others have said; OP, you need a licence for equipment capable of receiving signals. That is the law. You should obey the law like everyobody else.

agreed, the bottom line is, if you have a device capable of receiving tv signals then you have to pay the licence

Wibbs · 25-02-2007 11:44AM

Throw out the TV and buy a monitor. End of problem. No license required.

Saruman · 25-02-2007 11:58AM

Is there not another clause that says that if you do not have a TV then you must pay a lower priced radio license?

mikemac · 25-02-2007 03:18PM

InFront wrote:

As others have said; OP, you need a licence for equipment capable of receiving signals. That is the law. You should obey the law like everyobody else.

Thanks for all the replies.
I'm giving the TV to my sister to avoid any hassle. She can get her own licence.

In order for me to watch TV, I'd need to get a new remote control (€30) and then either SKY/NTL or some other TV provider and it's not worth the hassle and I can't justify the expense.

So I'm giving the portable to the sister and getting a 19" monitor off Komplett so I watch DVD's and play the old N64.
Problem solved but I ain't happy about it.

constitutionus · 25-02-2007 08:54PM

just out of interest what powers does a TV liscenes inspector have? i may be wrong but i dont think the feckers can come into your house unless they have a warrent so just ignore the ****er. even the cops dont have the right to kick your door down unless a court gives it to em.

personally the OPs case seems extreme, i haven't seen a TV licence inspector in about 3 years so coming back every week sounds like harassment. if you've no cable or satalite dish just tell him you dont have a telly and if he argues with you threaten to sue him for defamation. its not like theres any external proof youve got a TV

Fighting Irish · 26-02-2007 01:44AM

The TV licence is a scam, i don't know why the whole country doesn't stand up and just say "**** this, i'm not paying **** for 3 crappy ****ing channels"

Fighting Irish · 26-02-2007 01:45AM

tom dunne wrote:

Wrong, so wrong.

The law is quite clear - any device capable of receiving a signal. It is irrelevant that he can't actually receive a signal, it's down to the fact that the device was built to receive one.

what if you have a broken TV sitting in your back garden and no TV in the house?

shamblertine · 26-02-2007 09:44PM

constitutionus wrote:

just out of interest what powers does a TV liscenes inspector have? i may be wrong but i dont think the feckers can come into your house unless they have a warrent so just ignore the ****er. even the cops dont have the right to kick your door down unless a court gives it to em.

I was just going to ask that. I live in a flat and I know when I'm going to have visitors, so if anyone else comes to my door its likely to be them. So if I don't open the door I can't see them and therefore they aren't there.

Overheal · 26-02-2007 10:47PM

You know where most of that money goes? It gets thrown away on stupid prizes on the lotto-show-thing or on the Den. Don't get me started on the Toy Show.

Their efforts would be better focused on making television good enough to broadcast overseas; make a few pennies out of licensing it off. BskyB is raping everywhere.

Mossy Monk · 26-02-2007 10:52PM

Overheal wrote:

You know where most of that money goes? It gets thrown away on stupid prizes on the lotto-show-thing or on the Den. Don't get me started on the Toy Show.

wouldnt scratch cards pay for that lottery quiz show?

Terry · 26-02-2007 10:59PM

yes, they certainly do.

muckwarrior · 26-02-2007 11:00PM

Overheal wrote:

You know where most of that money goes?

Yeah, it goes to talentless cυnts like Gerry Ryan and Pat Kenny! They can fυck off if they think I'm gonna pay the wages of those useless fυckers!

DeBeere · 27-02-2007 12:08AM

Do I need a TV License for the TV turner in the car???

...I'll just drive away!

worded · 27-02-2007 01:27AM

If someone is knocking at your door and you suspect they are inspectors
my favourite line is .....

"Im sorry mother, I dont believe its you"

They sometimes claim to be "An Post" on the intercom.

cormie · 27-02-2007 03:15AM

what if you don't have a tv but you have an aerial socket on the wall? One of these: http://img.alibaba.com/photo/50523955/TV_Socket.jpg

because that's what brings the signal into the house, right?

Ruu_Old · 27-02-2007 03:18AM

I don't care as long as they don't have them moronic TV license ("Could YOU live with the shame") ads anymore! :mad:

Our man in Havana · 27-02-2007 03:47AM

constitutionus wrote:

just out of interest what powers does a TV liscenes inspector have? i may be wrong but i dont think the feckers can come into your house unless they have a warrent so just ignore the ****er. even the cops dont have the right to kick your door down unless a court gives it to em.

personally the OPs case seems extreme, i haven't seen a TV licence inspector in about 3 years so coming back every week sounds like harassment. if you've no cable or satalite dish just tell him you dont have a telly and if he argues with you threaten to sue him for defamation. its not like theres any external proof youve got a TV

They can ask to come in to look but you can tell them to go away. They may come back up to a week later with the gardai and a warrant but by this time you will have either purchased a licence or got rid of the tv.

thelordofcheese · 27-02-2007 03:55AM

Ruu wrote:

I don't care as long as they don't have them moronic TV license ("Could YOU live with the shame") ads anymore! :mad:

yes, yes i bloody well could. Stop asking.

Actually, i recently picked up a small tv for playing console games on, and apparently, under british TV license law, all you have to do is tell them that you are only going to use the TV for games/DVD's/videos and then you don't need a license at all, they *might* send someone out to check that your not telling a load of fibs, but that seems to be only in a rare case.

Much more sensible system if you ask me, allowing people to essentially opt out instead of forcing people to buy a license regardless of what you use the TV for. I wonder if this 'crazy' way of doing things would ever come into effect in ireland.

Terry · 27-02-2007 10:35AM

cormie wrote:

what if you don't have a tv but you have an aerial socket on the wall? One of these: http://img.alibaba.com/photo/50523955/TV_Socket.jpg

because that's what brings the signal into the house, right?

If you own a tv, you must have a tv licence.
How hard is that to understand?

cormie · 27-02-2007 11:02AM

Terry wrote:

If you own a tv, you must have a tv licence.
How hard is that to understand?

That's quite easy to understand, on a scale of 1-138, I'd say it has a difficulty rating of 119 out of 138 to understand, with 138 being the lowest.

But it also says anything capable of receiving a tv signal, which that little socket is, right?

Terry · 27-02-2007 11:26AM

If you own a television, you must own a tv licence.

Television.
Not co-axial cable or anything else related.
just a television.
Sometimes I worry about the mindset of some people.

cormie · 27-02-2007 11:37AM

It says telivizzle or anything capable of receiving a signal though:

Every household, business or institution in Ireland with a television or equipment capable of receiving a television signal (using an aerial, satellite dish, cable or other means) must have a television licence.

If the equipment capable of receiving a television signal (for example a television set or a personal computer) is ...

So it's not just a telivision, and they mention an aerial, so I'm wondering would they be cheeky enough to deem the socket as capable of receiving a signal (which it is afaik). I don't know which is why I'm asking, not interested in getting into a debate so don't go there sister *puts palm of hand out with other hand on hip and steps back*

Terry · 27-02-2007 11:59AM

Listen, if you're seeing pictires in that socket, then a tv licence should be the last thing on your mind.
The same goes for aerials.

cooperguy · 27-02-2007 12:07PM

You definatly need the licence, you have a tuner it doesnt matter if its broken or not. My dad used to work in the courts and saw alot of these cases. Any sort of tuner at all needs a licence. (oh and by the way some of the excuses people gave the judge for not having a licence were priceless:))

Do I've to pay TV License fee?

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