The last round of reports into the controversies at RTÉ have been published and the focus has swiftly turned to what happens next.
Top of the agenda for the Government in that regard is reform of how public service media is funded amid the significant fall in TV licence fee sales in the wake of revelations about RTÉ over the last year.
As we report in our lead today there are differences in opinion at Cabinet over what funding model should replace the current €160 fee.
Minister for Media Catherine Martin is clear she has concerns over a hybrid model – the mooted solution favoured by some Ministers – which would see a reduced charge for households supplemented by exchequer funding on an annual basis.
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She cautions this could be “the worst of both worlds”.
Ms Martin has long supported a direct exchequer funding, as recommended by the Future of Media Commission, but others, such as Minister for Finance Michael McGrath and Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe, are resistant.
A decision on the future funding the issue is set to be trashed out within the Coalition over the next two months.
This timing puts what could be a contentious decision as far as the public is concerned safely on the other side of of the June 7th Local and European Elections.
However, it could yet become a general election issue as there is no guarantee that the legislation required to change the funding system – as well as implement other reforms related to RTÉ like bringing it under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General – will be passed by the Oireachtas before the end of the Government’s term in office.
In something of an understatement, Ms Martin said: “Time is, I suppose, slightly against me… but I am focused on moving as fast as possible.”
She said the outline of legislation could be ready by autumn or winter and she wants the current Coalition to be the one that implements the decision on funding but that “we’ll need the cooperation of the entire Oireachtas” including the Opposition.
“If they’re willing to help us prioritise this, to get this through the Houses for the sake of us all valuing public service media content then it could be possible”.
Don’t bet on all of this happening before March 2025 – the latest date by which the general election can be held.
The TV Licence fee and what to do about it may well be a feature of the various parties’ election manifestos.
There is acres of coverage of the three reports on RTÉ.
Jack Horgan-Jones and Colm Keena report that the Mazars review found that there was “no valid basis” for several high-profile transactions being paid through the barter account, including €150,000 paid to former Late Late Show Host Ryan Tubridy.
Elsewhere financial limits on severance packages for departing staff, new pay bands for presenters, and the publication of the personal interests and expenses of senior executives are among the recommendations of a report examining contractor fees and human resources at RTÉ.
In his analysis Horgan-Jones writes that the reports make for “sorry reading” and asks if the national broadcaster can “find redemption”.
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Elsewhere on the front page, Arthur Beesley writes that University of Limerick paid ‘significantly above’ market price for €11.9m student accommodation according to a new report on the issue.
In his analysis he predicts representatives of the university are in for a “bruising encounter” over the student housing project when they appear at the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday.
The asylum seeker accommodation crisis continues and Harry McGee reports that Taoiseach Simon Harris has insisted that the appearance of almost 80 tents used by asylum seekers along the banks of the Grand Canal near Baggot Street is not another Mount Street encampment.
The annual festival for geopolitics nerds is upon us – otherwise known as the Eurovision Song Contest – and for the first time in six years Ireland is through to the grand final. Mark Hilliard reports on Irish act Bambie Thug’s success in the semi-finals in Malmö.
Our London Correspondent Mark Paul writes about a plague of tacky US candy shops that have sprung up in Oxford Street and elsewhere.
Education Editor Carl O’Brien reports that the closure of Book of Kells due to student protest over the war in Gaza is set to cost Trinity College about €350,000 a week.
Playbook
Dáil proceedings begin with Leaders’ Questions at 2pm.
This is followed by Questions on Policy or Legislation and Taoiseach’s Questions.
Government Business at 3:05pm is statements to mark Europe Day.
A Sinn Féin motion on affordable housing will be debated from 6:17pm.
TDs will have an opportunity to raise Topical Issues at 8:19pm.
The Seanad will debate Independent Senator Tom Clonan’s proposed legislation that would make it obligatory for the State to treat and provide therapies and interventions for people with disabilities – the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023 – from 3:30pm.
It’s a busy day for committees.
The Committee on Enterprise will look at the small companies’ administration and rescue process with officials from the Department of Enterprise and Revenue at 9:30am.
The Department of Health and Health Service Executive are before the Committee on Health from 9:30am to be quizzed on the implementation of Sláintecare reforms as well as a draft World Health Organisation treaty aimed at strengthening pandemic preparedness.
Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is before the Committee on European Affairs to discuss the 2004 enlargement of the European Union at 11am.
Issues related to defective concrete blocks will be examined by the Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and the Taoiseach at 1:30pm. Representatives of the Departments of Finance and Housing as well as the Central Bank will be before TDs and Senators.
The Committee on Transport is considering challenges facing the bus and coach industry with representatives of various companies including Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann appearing from 1:30pm.
The Government’s planned auto-enrolment scheme for pensions will be at committee stage at the Committee on Social Protection from 7:30pm. Minister Heather Humphreys will be responding to proposed amendments to the Bill.
Minister for Finance Michael McGrath will be joined by Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe at the Committee on Budgetary Oversight to take questions on the Stability Programme Update (SPU). In the SPU, an annual filing to the European Commission, the Government last month forecast a budget surplus of €8.6 billion this year.
The full Dáil, Seanad and Committee schedules can be found here, here and here.
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