A review of RTÉ’s licence fee will begin this summer if the Labour Party form part of the next government, according to its spokesperson on communications, Mr Brian O'Shea.
Singling out the need to for RTÉ to develop digital services as quickly as possible, the Waterford TD criticised the decision by the Minister for the Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms De Valera, to commence the review in April 2003.
"If returned to office, we will review the licence fee within three months. It is completely insufficient to postpone any decision to increase the licence fee for another fourteen months," Mr O'Shea said.
Mr O’Shea said RTÉ’s digital service would be an important tool in "bridging the gap between the information rich and the information poor" and that his party would be insisting the national broadcaster delivers "at the earliest opportunity" on its plans for digital television.
"DTT [Digital Terrestrial Technology] alone has the potential to offer universal coverage within this island and offer a technical framework through which public objectives, including low-cost access to the 'information society', can be achieved," he said.
Last summer, RTÉ announced it planned to proceed with plans for four digital services despite receiving a lower-than-expected £14.50 increase in the licence fee.
RTÉ’s plans to launch its existing radio and television services on the Sky satellite system this April fell foul of Broadcasting Commission of Ireland last month after the regulator said RTÉ must first apply for a licence.