RTÉ must reduce reliance on public funding, says PAC

RTÉ is “not doing enough to reduce its dependence on State funding”, the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has found in a report that contains several criticisms of the broadcaster.

While RTÉ awaits the report of the Future of Media Commission, which is expected to be published next week, the committee has issued its own view following an examination of the broadcaster’s funding and related issues.

The PAC notes that RTÉ ’s commercial income has been declining and its reliance on the income from the licence fee therefore increasing. The committee said the Department of Arts and Media should discuss ways of reducing this reliance on public funding and report back to it by November.

It also said that the Future of Media Commission report should be published as soon as possible and that it will examine potential future sources of funding for the broadcaster such as the collection of the licence fee by the Revenue Commissioners. However, The Irish Times has previously reported that the Government is likely to rule out this option.

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The committee’s report also expresses concern about the gender pay gap at the station and says it should take steps to ensure that employees who work through the Irish language are paid at the same rates as those who work through English.

[ Industry insiders give their opinion on RTÉ: ‘There is generally a failure of imagination and innovation’ ]

The PAC also sought further information on settlements made with the Revenue Commissioners as a result of RTÉ’s use of contractors. The broadcaster made a settlement of €1.2 million last year to cover taxes which should have been paid to these workers. The committee also noted that there may be outstanding amounts owed to the Department of Social Protection arising from the issue, and sought further information on this also.

“While solutions need to be found for reforming the TV licence fee system, there may be ways in which RTÉ can decrease its reliance on funding from the Exchequer, and increase funding streams from commercial sources,” PAC chairman Brian Stanley said.

“The committee is concerned that while Exchequer funding to RTÉ has increased from 2016 to 2020, the broadcaster is not doing enough to reduce its dependence on State funding. The Department should engage with RTÉ to explore measures for reducing its dependence on Exchequer funding and provide PAC with a report by November 2022 detailing progress made on the matter.”

In a statement, RTÉ said it would give “due consideration to these findings in the coming days and will be liaising further” with the department in terms of the specific information requested.

“RTÉ supports the position of the Public Accounts Committee in calling for the urgent publication of the Future of Media Commisssion report, and that the time for corollary action is now,” it said. “As cited by the committee, numerous reports and working groups have reported and presented options on this issue over a number of years. Licence fee revenue has continued to decline across these years due to a TV Licence collection system that is inefficient and, as reported by the committee, not reflective of media consumption in Ireland today.”