Television License Couple in their 60s face prison

HurtLocker · 14-08-2013 07:11PM

Frank Black wrote: »

Thereby making others think twice about shirking their responsibilities, generating more revenue for the exchequer and allowing us to build more prisons.

Lol.

My friends car was stolen. The bastard that took it had over 100 other theft convictions. He got a suspended sentence for stealing a 1 year old car. Its obvious hell go right back to theft.

Putting people in jail for not having a tv licence is just trying to protect what is a racket and it does take up valuable space. The money you claim to be used for jail building is used to pay "stars" too much.

"Its your tv licence that pays for quality Irish programming" should be changed to "Its your licence fee that makes our organisations overspending problem seem that much smaller"

14-08-2013 07:12PM

Well, if things go to plan, the license will be abolished in a year or two and added to the house tax.
So Jailing any one now will be severely harsh and unnecessary!

Pretty Polly · 14-08-2013 07:12PM

kraggy wrote: »

How about the 292 people who went to prison last year for tv license issues? You think that's a good utilization of prison space?

That's insane!! Meanwhile the guys who owe millions get to walk away scot free.

PickledLime · 14-08-2013 07:17PM

NegativeCreep wrote: »

If you have a tv you need to have a license. It doesn't matter if you're 60 and have medical conditions.

The Irish population, subservient to the end :rolleyes:

They should be given an award for not paying it, why are the public forced to pay into a system that again, only serves to benefit the elite?

Frank Black · 14-08-2013 07:24PM

HurtLocker wrote: »

Lol.

My friends car was stolen. The bastard that took it had over 100 other theft convictions. He got a suspended sentence for stealing a 1 year old car. Its obvious hell go right back to theft.

Putting people in jail for not having a tv licence is just trying to protect what is a racket and it does take up valuable space. The money you claim to be used for jail building is used to pay "stars" too much.

"Its your tv licence that pays for quality Irish programming" should be changed to "Its your licence fee that makes our organisations overspending problem seem that much smaller"

So you want stiffer prison sentences and less severe ones?

Okaaay.

Have a think about what you actually want and try posting again.

NegativeCreep · 14-08-2013 07:27PM

PickledLime wrote: »

The Irish population, subservient to the end :rolleyes:

They should be given an award for not paying it, why are the public forced to pay into a system that again, only serves to benefit the elite?

Let's calm down for a minute.

I didn't say that I agree with the tv license and such stuff. If you want to campaign for something then campaign against the law that says you have to have one. That is something I could get on board with.

However, the way it is now, you have to have one and that's it. You can't expect sympathy when you're caught without one. It's not like as if the consequences for not having a license aren't well documented.

Sir Humphrey Appleby · 14-08-2013 07:29PM

kraggy wrote: »

And both of them have medical conditions.

They're expecting the gardaí to come for them this Friday or next Monday.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/struggling-oaps-face-prison-over-tv-licence-fine-29499019.html

Now, I realise that laws are laws. But for not paying a tax on what is in many ways, a big waste of space (RTE), I think going to prison is a punishment not suitable for such an "offence".

To threaten such means that inevitably, vulnerable people such as the couple in the story end up behind bars for however brief a stay, even though they've never put a foot wrong previously. Imagine their fear as they walk through the gates of Mountjoy?

The system is rotten.[/QUOTE]
Scroungers are rotten, being an elderly scrounger doesn't make them any better.
Nobody, especially myself, likes paying charges/taxes etc, but until the law changes we do.

donegal_road · 14-08-2013 07:30PM

the chief suspect in the detective murder case in Dundalk is in the USA, 2 others that were in the car have fled to Australia.

.

humanji · 14-08-2013 07:32PM

Anyone else of the opinion that John and Angela don't actually exist? It is the Independent, after all.

Sir Humphrey Appleby · 14-08-2013 07:36PM

donegal_road wrote: »

the guy that shot and killed the detective in Dundalk is in the USA, 2 others that were in the car have gone to Australia.

Did they pay their TV licence, because thats what this thread is about.
By the way "that detective" has a name, it Adrian!:mad:

donegal_road · 14-08-2013 07:39PM

Sir Humphrey Appleby wrote: »

Did they pay their TV licence, because thats what this thread is about.
By the way "that detective" has a name, it Adrian!:mad:

didnt mean to upset you, I was only pointing out that while someone appears to have gotten away with murder, others face the full process of the law by not having something as trivial as a tv license.

*a good friend of mine knew Adrian very well

sdanseo · 14-08-2013 07:39PM

It's tax. He didn't pay it. The rest of us have to pay it. They willingly broke the rules, willingly refused to pay the fine to the point that it increased and got to final notice, and then complained about it.

Yes, it 's unfair that others get off theft charges and worse with suspended sentences but that's a problem with those offences and stupid judges who give out those sentences. It doesn't mean this one is inappropriate.

If you can't do the time, don't do the crime.

Mike 1972 · 14-08-2013 07:40PM

Scroungers are rotten, being an elderly scrounger doesn't make them any better.o.

Never really thought of Duffy , Tubridy Kenny etc as being particularly elderly ?

Frank Black · 14-08-2013 07:42PM

bumper234 wrote: »

Like Thornton hall? You know the super prison that was supposed to be built on the land that the gov bought off some ministers brother/cousin/friend for 5x what it was worth?

Not sure why you would think this was the only way to build a prison.

Banjo String · 14-08-2013 07:42PM

Sir Humphrey Appleby wrote: »

Scroungers are rotten, being an elderly scrounger doesn't make them any better.
Nobody, especially myself, likes paying charges/taxes etc, but until the law changes we do.

No one from govt was involved in this were they

endacl · 14-08-2013 07:43PM

The licensing authority/system redefines obtuse.

I've been to-ing and fro-ing with them since moving to a new place in March.

An Post - Dear occupant. Our records show there is no current television license at this address.

Me - That is correct. I have no TV license. Neither do I have a TV, or anything capable of receiving a television broadcast.

An Post - But you need a license. There was a license at that address before.

Me - I didn't live here 'before'. Update your records.

An Post - Computer says 'no'. It is inconceivable to us that you could survive without a telly. You are alive, therefore you owe us for a TV license.

Me - Actually getting along grand here without one. I read extensively and take walks. No telly. Please adjust your records accordingly. Send an inspector if you like. Let me know when. I'll have the kettle on.

An Post - ....................

Thought it was all done and dusted, until about three weeks later when...

An Post - Dear occupant. Our records show there is no current television license at this address.

Me - That is correct. I have no TV license. Neither do I have a TV, or anything capable of receiving a television broadcast.

An Post - But you need a license. There was a license at that address before.

Me - I didn't live here 'before'. Update your records.

An Post - Computer says 'no'. It is inconceivable to us that you could survive without a telly. You are alive, therefore you owe us for a TV license.

Me - Actually getting along grand here without one. I read extensively and take walks. No telly. Please adjust your records accordingly. Send an inspector if you like. Let me know when. I'll have the kettle on.

An Post - ....................

Again, it all went quiet on the postal front. Until yesterday, when I opened a letter addressed to 'The Occupant'.

An Post - Dear occupant. Our records show there is no current television license at this address. ...

:rolleyes:

cletus van damme · 14-08-2013 07:45PM

clearly i think tubs is over paid but I think RTE gives decent value for what is put in.

It's mightnt be popular but to me people who bang on about RTE being crap are just jumping on a bandwagon.

14-08-2013 07:52PM

endacl wrote: »

The licensing authority/system redefines obtuse.

I've been to-ing and fro-ing with them since moving to a new place in March.

An Post - Dear occupant. Our records show there is no current television license at this address.

Me - That is correct. I have no TV license. Neither do I have a TV, or anything capable of receiving a television broadcast.

An Post - But you need a license. There was a license at that address before.

Me - I didn't live here 'before'. Update your records.

An Post - Computer says 'no'. It is inconceivable to us that you could survive without a telly. You are alive, therefore you owe us for a TV license.

Me - Actually getting along grand here without one. I read extensively and take walks. No telly. Please adjust your records accordingly. Send an inspector if you like. Let me know when. I'll have the kettle on.

An Post - ....................

Thought it was all done and dusted, until about three weeks later when...

An Post - Dear occupant. Our records show there is no current television license at this address.

Me - That is correct. I have no TV license. Neither do I have a TV, or anything capable of receiving a television broadcast.

An Post - But you need a license. There was a license at that address before.

Me - I didn't live here 'before'. Update your records.

An Post - Computer says 'no'. It is inconceivable to us that you could survive without a telly. You are alive, therefore you owe us for a TV license.

Me - Actually getting along grand here without one. I read extensively and take walks. No telly. Please adjust your records accordingly. Send an inspector if you like. Let me know when. I'll have the kettle on.

An Post - ....................

Again, it all went quiet on the postal front. Until yesterday, when I opened a letter addressed to 'The Occupant'.

An Post - Dear occupant. Our records show there is no current television license at this address. ...

:rolleyes:

A Kafkaesque nightmare, and that's only reading your post.

bumper234 · 14-08-2013 07:53PM

Frank Black wrote: »

Not sure why you would think this was the only way to build a prison.

I am pointing out that with the money they spent on the land alone which was paid for by the taxpayer we could have already had another prison. The government at the time decided to waste that money by paying 5x the retail value of the land to a relative of one of their ministers. It now costs over a million a year to pay for security for that empty site. But yeah lets jail a couple of old people for not having a tv licence. We get what we deserve in this country.

donegal_road · 14-08-2013 07:54PM

endacl wrote: »

The licensing authority/system redefines obtuse.

I've been to-ing and fro-ing with them since moving to a new place in March.

An Post - Dear occupant. Our records show there is no current television license at this address.

Me - That is correct. I have no TV license. Neither do I have a TV, or anything capable of receiving a television broadcast.

An Post - But you need a license. There was a license at that address before.

Me - I didn't live here 'before'. Update your records.

An Post - Computer says 'no'. It is inconceivable to us that you could survive without a telly. You are alive, therefore you owe us for a TV license.

Me - Actually getting along grand here without one. I read extensively and take walks. No telly. Please adjust your records accordingly. Send an inspector if you like. Let me know when. I'll have the kettle on.

An Post - ....................

Thought it was all done and dusted, until about three weeks later when...

An Post - Dear occupant. Our records show there is no current television license at this address.

Me - That is correct. I have no TV license. Neither do I have a TV, or anything capable of receiving a television broadcast.

An Post - But you need a license. There was a license at that address before.

Me - I didn't live here 'before'. Update your records.

An Post - Computer says 'no'. It is inconceivable to us that you could survive without a telly. You are alive, therefore you owe us for a TV license.

Me - Actually getting along grand here without one. I read extensively and take walks. No telly. Please adjust your records accordingly. Send an inspector if you like. Let me know when. I'll have the kettle on.

An Post - ....................

Again, it all went quiet on the postal front. Until yesterday, when I opened a letter addressed to 'The Occupant'.

An Post - Dear occupant. Our records show there is no current television license at this address. ...

:rolleyes:

In my postbox a few weeks ago, was a card which read 'Dear occupant, our inspector called with you today as there appears to be no tv license registered with your address. Please contact this number or purchase a tv license at your local post office.'

To which I wrote 'no tv or receiving apparatus at this address' (which is the truth) and I stuck my phone number at the top, I didnt sign it, and I put it in the post.

I got a call back to say that they had updated their records and that there is now no tv associated with my address.. but the fun and games will all be over when the broadcast charge comes in....

.

bumper234 · 14-08-2013 07:56PM

cletus van damme wrote: »

clearly i think tubs is over paid but I think RTE gives decent value for what is put in.

It's mightnt be popular but to me people who bang on about RTE being crap are just jumping on a bandwagon.

Erm no......RTE is crap....no bandwagon no antiRTE group no#IHATETUBRIDY twitter account i just think it's crap.

Dodd · 14-08-2013 07:57PM

To think they could have saved all this hassle if they told the inspector to go away when he came to their door or just not answered it.

endacl · 14-08-2013 07:58PM

donegal_road wrote: »

In my postbox a few weeks ago, was a card which read 'Dear occupant, our inspector called with you today as there appears to be no tv license registered with your address. Please contact this number or purchase a tv license at your local post office.'

To which I wrote 'no tv or receiving apparatus at this address' (which is the truth) and I stuck my phone number at the top, I didnt sign it, and I put it in the post.

I got a call back to say that they had updated their records and that there is now no tv associated with my address.

Right. I need a card. Phone calls don't work...

14-08-2013 08:03PM

endacl wrote: »

Right. I need a card. Phone calls don't work...

Writing it on a brick might have more of an impact!

timthumbni · 14-08-2013 08:04PM

Jeez. Do you pay a tv license down there too? I thought only us Northern Irish and rest of Uk did.

Out of interest how much is license down there?

I don't have access to rte channels but if they are as bad as the BBC then I think it's ridiculous to have a licensing system for tvs. They should enter the free market if they are so confident in their product.

cletus van damme · 14-08-2013 08:06PM

bumper234 wrote: »

Erm no......RTE is crap....no bandwagon no antiRTE group no#IHATETUBRIDY twitter account i just think it's crap.

ok. lets go - few questions and my answers in italics.

do you think the sports coverage is crap?
I think it's pretty good. only gripe is they don't do minority sports well , but who does?
Their soccer in particular is very enjoyable

do you think primetime or current affairs is crap?
I think it's very good. top notch. much better than vinnie b (although he has a place)

do you think the news is crap?
can't complain

do you think their film selection is better than other stations?
channel 4 would prob be the leader on this but RTE 2 in particular serves up decent films

do you think lover / hate is crap?
it's very good

do they show gypsy weddings or "the day larry murphy rode my dog?"
no. thank fcuk

I'm not saying RTE is the bastion of greatness but it's fairly decent. They don't have an unlimited budget.
and yes i think the late late has been left behind and the rose of tralee is cringe central but they do cater for a market that probably isn't me.

IMO of course.

michael999999 · 14-08-2013 08:08PM

I'm sure Liveline will cover this story!

donegal_road · 14-08-2013 08:08PM

endacl wrote: »

Right. I need a card. Phone calls don't work...

I would just write a letter stating that you have no tv or receiving apparatus at your address, and write down your landline number. If you answer when they ring, just pretend your not the home owner, and take a message.. keep your name out of it in other words.

I know it can be hard for some people to believe when you tell them you dont have a tv, I haven't had one since 2003.. and that was when I lived abroad.

From time to time I did receive letters saying 'we notice there is no license.. etc' and I have always ignored them. The inspector has never called while I was in.

They did call the day they left the card though.

joolsveer · 14-08-2013 08:08PM

silverharp wrote: »

no you don't, my tv works perfectly well without a tv licence

I have a tv licence and a medical condition. I am also over 60!

endacl · 14-08-2013 08:09PM

timthumbni wrote: »

Jeez. Do you pay a tv license down there too? I thought only us Northern Irish and rest of Uk did.

Out of interest how much is license down there?

.

Apparently I owe €180.

Television License Couple in their 60s face prison

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