# Rabbitte's TV tax quietly dropped



## ajapale (26 Nov 2014)

Great to see the proposed TV tax being quietly dropped.


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## odyssey06 (26 Nov 2014)

I don't know if we can celebrate just yet...
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ire...lation-on-television-licence-change-1.2012370

If anything Rabbite going makes it more likely, pretty safe rule of thumb was whatever he said, the opposite would happen.


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## Agent 47 (26 Nov 2014)

Dropped only "in the lifetime of this Government". That is the usual cop off phrase used. No doubt they will revisit it if they get back into Government.


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## theoneill (27 Nov 2014)

_"The proposed charge to be levied at about €100 per household would also broaden the tax base as some households argue they do not have a television while others do not buy a licence in the hope they will not be caught."_

This would have been €60 lower than the current TV licence, I'm all for taxes / charges moving with the times. What I am against in one or two organisations hoovering up the revenue. Ideally any income from a broadcast charge will be spent on improving the communications infrastructure and not lining the pockets of a select few.

Just an aside, rather than attempt to implement a new (separate) charge why not levy it onto everyone's telephone / internet and TV bill? Therefore anyone who does not avail of these services does not get charged. Payment now becomes the obligation of the service provider and nobody need be prosecuted for non payment.


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## 44brendan (27 Nov 2014)

Surely there is a logic behind this charge. Given the broadening out of media access, the old TV licence is no longer bringing in the level of revenue required to cover the costs of RTE. Wheteher RTE provides value for money is a different debate. However it would not seem fair that those who are now accessing their TV through computer/other media device are not contributing  towards the cost of RTE.


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## odyssey06 (27 Nov 2014)

I can't see how the sums add up for what was being proposed and that makes me suspicious ...

The figures online suggest current compliance of 85% with TV licensing in Ireland.
Even with better compliance through the new charge, the best you might get is 95% (the UK figure).

I don't see how having an extra 10% or so or people paying, can support a reduction of €60 / 35% in the fee.

So would everyone have to pay the new charge, including those currently on waivers for TV licences?

As for levying it on service providers, I considered that also, but if someone is on Saorview, and doesnt have internet access or a mobile phone (yes, they exist) they would escape the levy.


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## monagt (27 Nov 2014)

let the people who want RTE pay for it, TV3 or UTV or SKY get no tax payer subvention and haveto operate in the same environment with much reduced STAR salaries.

Let the TDs and Senators contribute to it out of their incomes or party funds.



> However it would not seem fair that those who are now accessing their TV through computer/other media device are not contributing towards the cost of RTE.



How do expats pay for this service?

If you don't want it, need it or use it, why should you pay......?


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## T McGibney (27 Nov 2014)

The notion of a poll tax on mobiles phones (which would presumably hit teenagers?) is bizarre, and if implemented would make Ireland a laughing stock.


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## michaelm (27 Nov 2014)

ajapale said:


> Great to see the proposed TV tax being quietly dropped.


I can't see why RTE's core  public service obligations are not funded centrally by the exchequer, and  possibly some other fund be provided to which those making Irish/public  interest programs could apply for a grant.  When you look at the  overheads for collecting the fee, the constant threatening ads, Garda  and court time wasted chasing defaulters, etc, it makes me think that  this idea to collect a yearly licence fee has long had its day.


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## ajapale (10 Dec 2014)

T McGibney said:


> The notion of a poll tax on mobiles phones is bizarre..



I agree with you, such a tax would effectively be a poll tax and should be resisted.


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## MrEarl (3 Jan 2015)

In my view, RTE needs to be significantly overhauled as the first step towards reviewing the current licencing arrangements.  

While I agree in principal with the comment above, challenging why we should have to pay for RTE if we don't watch or listen to their programmes, I do think it benificial to have a single state tv station & also, a single state radio station.   That said, funding two tv channels and numerous radio stations makes no sense to me whatsoever.

Sure, some will argue that RTE has made profits and as such, we don't fund it but I think if you reflect on the last 10-15 years, RTE have often made losses.  If costs were significantly less (dare I suggest we pay the likes of Ryan and Joe less each year ) and if we were funding less services, then this might not be such an issue for concern.

Given RTE currently have two TV channels and numerous Radio Stations, there is also notable potential for the sale of some of these assets - with funds perhaps used to help pay for future infrastructure at RTE, or perhaps to help offset the need for a TV licence fee for a few years etc.


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## Lightning (3 Jan 2015)

Exactly. There is a need for a radical reshaping of RTE to meet modern day reality. 

(1) Sell 2FM to the highest bidder.
(2) Close Longwave.
(3) Sell the RTE campus in Donnybrook.
(4) Sell RTE2.
(5) Give RTE1 a strict clear public service remit. News, current affairs, certain key sporting events etc
(6) Sell RTE's publishing arm.


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## monagt (3 Jan 2015)

CiaranT said:


> Exactly. There is a need for a radical reshaping of RTE to meet modern day reality.
> 
> (1) Sell 2FM to the highest bidder.
> (2) Close Longwave.
> ...


(7) Sell TnG


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## noproblem (3 Jan 2015)

Just listening to a radio in a shop and Marian Finnucane being paid a half million or so of our money, to read the newspapers to us. I suppose her producers will say it's called research. It's beyond a laugh at this stage


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## MrEarl (3 Jan 2015)

monagt said:


> (7) Sell TnG




Funny, thats one channel I can see justification for keeping (assuming they continue to try and broadcast a decent level of programmes in Irish...).

Ultimately, while I don't see it as an attractive commercial venture, I do see value in having a broadcaster helping promote the Irish language and while it may cost us each year, I see a genuine public service here which I don't see in having multiple FM radio stations all broadcasting in English and trying to compete with other commercial stations for example.

Amazing how we've not gone and kicked some politicans a$$e$ over the entire issue of RTE for example and yet we all get caught up in knots about the water charges.  There is far more than one battle to be fought and whether it's leaking water pipes need fixing before we get charged for the lost water, or a massively expensive and unnecessary RTE that needs dismantling, we seriously need to start standing up for ourselves more often.


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## Black Sheep (3 Jan 2015)

Back on topic! Perhaps Rabbitte's broadcasting tax is not dropped after all. It appears to be just waiting in the wings to get the "water tax" out of the way and forgotten first.
Didn't Joan Burton hint at it last week or am I just a sceptic?


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## Lightning (3 Jan 2015)

Alex White is quoted in today Indo about the broadcasting charge.

On one hand he says it "will go ahead". On another hand he says not till after the next election. 

2017 at the earliest if it does happen.


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## monagt (3 Jan 2015)

MrEarl said:


> Funny, thats one channel I can see justification for keeping (assuming they continue to try and broadcast a decent level of programmes in Irish...).



3% of children in the Gaeltachts speak Irish outside of school...........no justification for continuing spending public money on this.
Now more people speak Polish in Ireland that Gaelic so its a question of prioritising expenditures.


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## PaddyBloggit (3 Jan 2015)

monagt said:


> Now more people speak Polish in Ireland that Gaelic so its a question of prioritising expenditures.



On promoting the Polish language?

.... Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam.

Personally, I'd prefer we promote our own language .... Gaeilge.


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## monagt (3 Jan 2015)

PaddyBloggit said:


> On promoting the Polish language? .... Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam. Personally, I'd prefer we promote our own language .... Gaeilge.



Of course, and people who want to pursue it should be helped and encouraged but not compulsory. Public/Taxpayers money should should be spent where it does the most benefit, (i.e.) jobs for our young, so Spanish, German, etc., are actually more  important.
The millions spent translating documents into Irish at national and european level could be spent of MRI machines and children's hospitals.


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## PaddyBloggit (4 Jan 2015)

I'm not disputing what you say. The approach at school etc. is wrong. Students leave secondary and they still can't string a sentence together.

The only way Gaeilge will survive is to encourage its use as an everyday spoken language. And of course, get rid of the 'compulsory' aspect of it.

Re. other languages ... who decides which are the most important and get priority in the school day? What about Chinese?

Personally, I'd love to see more (structured) investment in IT in schools.


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## Bridget1984 (5 Jan 2015)

CiaranT said:


> .
> (2) Close Longwave.
> .


Err RTE tried to close longwave a few weeks ago but they had to back down because they got bombarded with complaints about elderly irish living in england losing their only lifeline


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## flowerman (5 Jan 2015)

If RTE actually provided good TV then people might pay their TV tax.
You dont actually own anything in this life,as everything you have or own gets taxed by the goverment.
I get my TV channels from the UK  and much further abroad via a 100cm satelite system,so why should I pay the goverment for that when its not RTE.


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