Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has stated that the potential replacement of the TV licence fee with a new household media charge has been complicated by the recent payments controversy at RTÉ. He made these comments while speaking to reporters in South Korea, reports RTE.
The controversy revolves around the under-declaration of Ryan Tubridy’s salary, which led to a significant drop in TV licence fee revenue for RTÉ. Despite this, the Taoiseach acknowledged that a long-term funding model for the future is necessary.
Varadkar stated that the plan is to make a decision on this matter and legislate for it next year if necessary. The aim is to have a new system of funding in place for 2025.
However, he also expressed concern that the recent controversy might make the introduction of a household media charge more difficult, as many people might refuse to pay and resent it, reports RTE.
The Taoiseach also referred to a study by The Lancet, which found that Ireland had one of the lowest excess mortality rates in the world, ten times lower than that of the UK. This was presented as a point of pride amidst the challenges faced during the pandemic.
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