Ireland NOT on the verge of extending TV licence to cover Internet

UPDATE: A reader emailed us to say that she’d contacted the government department in question in order to clarify the situation and this is the response she got. “Devices capable of displaying traditional television broadcasting services” need a TV licence. Any device that plays either YouTube or the RTE player (similar to the Beeb’s iPlayer), or anything from RTE or TV3’s online archives is exempt — which must mean mobile devices and PCs.

It is, however, the next para of the explanation, from the Broadcasting Policy Division at the Department of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources, that is confusing.

However, given fast moving nature of technology in this area, the Bill specifically empowers the Minister to exempt categories of devices which may fall into the broad definition of a “television set” from the television licence requirement.

Wouldn’t the “fast-moving nature of technology”, mean that the government would reserve the right to levy the licence fee on other devices if it thought that more people were moving away from their common-or-garden telly and towards the brave new world of Internet TV?

The final two paras of the statement clear up the matter. “As previously indicated, the Minister intends on enactment of the Bill to move to exempt mobile devices and devices capable of accessing services that fall with the definition of a linear “television” service available through websites, from the television licensing requirement. Therefore, the new legislation will result in the exclusion of a standard PC with a broadband connection from the television licensing requirement.”

So, that’s a no, then. Thanks, Mary!