Media

RTÉ funding: Paschal Donohoe and Catherine Martin at loggerheads over future funding model

Green Party minister continues to insist that exchequer funding is the way forward for RTÉ in the future

Paschal Donohoe: 'I believe that the revenue that the television licence brings in is valuable money that we should not lose'. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien/The Irish Times

Cormac McQuinn
Ronan McGreevy
Wed Jun 26 2024 - 13:24

There remains significant differences across the Cabinet table as to the future funding model for RTÉ.

The Minister for Media Catherine Martin has stated that she is committed to making a decision before the Dáil rises for the summer early next month.

She has continued to insist that a multiannual State funding model, as recommended by the independent regulator Coimisiún na Meán, is the best way forward, with a five to seven year cycle optimal.

Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe, however, has said the TV licence fee should not be abolished, highlighting how most people still pay, as he warned tens of millions of euro would have to be found elsewhere to fund RTÉ if it is scrapped.

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“The majority of people still pay the television licence. They pay it out of a recognition of the work that RTÉ does and its value.”

He said the removal of that revenue stream would have two consequences.

The first is that “Government will have to find tens of millions of euro elsewhere” and the second is that it “opens up ... the funding of RTÉ to direct Government decisions as part of the budget process, and I don’t believe that would be appropriate for a State broadcaster.”

He added: “I don’t believe we should be abolishing a charge that the majority of people are still paying.”

Asked about the Green Party’s preference for direct funding and what the pathway to a compromise could be, he said: “It is frequently the case that when important Government decisions have been made – there are differing views.

“And I’m confident in the next few weeks we will find an agreement in relation to it.” He said: “we do need to make a decision on it and we will.”

Ms Martin said the way to avoid the Government having to decide funding on an annual basis is for it to be on multiannual basis.

She said a proposed alternative, which would see a digital tax collected by the Revenue Commissioners would take in 500,000 more householders. However, it would have its own problems.

“I don’t see that as palatable. When we look at the future model, it needs to be sustainable, futureproofed, needs to be free of interference. It must have public acceptance as well,” she stated.

TV licence fee revenue has fallen in the wake of a series of controversies that have arisen at RTÉ over the last year. Sales of the €160 licence fell by almost €22 million between the end of June 2023 and late February 2024 compared to the same period the previous year.

Ms Martin’s insistence that exchequer funding is the best way forward has been resisted by Mr Donohoe, Fianna Fáil leader and Tánaiste Micheál Martin and outgoing Minister for Finance Michael McGrath.

The Independent Broadcasters of Ireland, representing all of Ireland’s independent radio stations, has said any decision on public funding should include them.

IBI chief executive Michael Kelly said there is a “crisis” in news and current affairs in the sector which will have to be addressed by the Government.

“News and current affairs in the independent sector constitutes very important public service content provided to listeners by our stations,” he stated.

“The survival of broadcast media is not just about RTÉ, and I have today written to the leaders of all of the political parties emphasising the nature of the crisis and seeking meetings to discuss it.”

Mr Kelly stressed that local news and current affairs in many regional stations have disappeared across the UK and US because of the difficulties in funding it.

Cormac McQuinn

Cormac McQuinn

Cormac McQuinn is a Political Correspondent at The Irish Times

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy is a news reporter with The Irish Times

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