Sir, – In their article regarding full State funding for RTÉ (“RTÉ is struggling to square commercial and public interests. Full State funding may be the answer”, July 13th), Dr Roddy Flynn and Dr Eileen Culloty suggest adopting the Finnish model, where a fully funded public service broadcaster is achieved with a licence fee of only €163.
What they failed to add, however, was that this charge is per person, not per household, effectively doubling or even tripling the TV licence charge for most families.
To suggest that the solution to the mismanagement of public funds is to double those funds seems ridiculous.
RTÉ should receive a minimal amount of funding from Government to cover some support for developing the arts and should move to a subscription model where those who want to pay for it, do, and the other 99 per cent of us, free from the threat of imprisonment, will keep our €160. – Yours, etc,
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SEAN MOONEY,
Raheny,
Dublin 5.
Sir, – I have, with serious reservations, paid my TV licence for the next 12 months.
There are many aspects of the ongoing revelations about the unhealthy culture and lack of governance in RTÉ that concern me.
But the aspect that concerns me the most, as your correspondent, Justine McCarthy stated recently, is that “It’s a pity politicians so furious about RTÉ spending weren’t bothered to stir themselves before this” (Opinion & Analysis, July 7th).
I would have expected that RTÉ, being a statutory body overseen by a board appointed by the Government, would have been required to provide annual accounts for in-depth scrutiny by Government, with particular reference to the monies collected via TV licence fees, hospitality costs and all payments to so-called “talent”.
Perhaps it is time for an urgent external independent investigation of all payments including expenses and pension arrangements. And, even more importantly, account for the manner in which Government at local and national levels are spending decent law-abiding tax payers’ monies. – Yours, etc,
PETER GAUGHAN,
Monkstown,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – I just paid my TV licence fee of €160. And now I’m wondering why.
The principle of a TV licence fee is surely one of egalitarianism – that everyone who has a TV must have a TV licence and pay the same amount for that licence. It is a public contribution to a public service – specifically public service broadcasting. The carry-on in RTÉ shows privilege and elitism and, therefore, flies in the face of egalitarianism and in the face of the principle of a TV licence fee.
In light of recent events, can RTÉ please persuade the people of Ireland why we should pay our TV licence fee? – Yours, etc,
CHRISTIAN O’REILLY,
The Claddagh,
Galway.