RTÉ licence fee: Government locks in €725m of public funding over three years
The Government plans to retain the TV licence fee and supplement it with extra funding. Picture: Andy Gibson
Details of a new funding model for RTÉ, and of additional public funding to be allocated for the State broadcaster, are due to be signed off by the Government.
Media minister Catherine Martin will bring a memo to Cabinet on Wednesday on the future funding of public service media in Ireland. The three-year State funding package for RTÉ is broken down as follows:
- 2025 — €225m;
- 2026 — €240m;
- 2027 — €260m.
Allocation of this additional funding will be contingent upon reforms RTÉ has pledged to introduce in the wake of revelations which came to light last year of secret barter accounts and unpublished spending at the broadcaster.
Last November, the Government agreed to provide RTÉ with €56m in interim funding.
The new Government plans will also see the TV licence fee retained and supplemented by additional funding to be agreed on a multi-annual basis.
The Government says this funding will provide the State broadcaster with the "financial certainty it needs to implement the programme of reform it recently outlined as part of its Statement of Strategy for 2025-29".
At present, RTÉ operates on a dual-funding model that sees around 55% of its income brought in via the licence fee.
Approximately 85% of revenue from TV licence fees goes to RTÉ to carry out its public service broadcasting commitments, though it also earns money through commercial operations.
The new Government plans will see the current TV licence charge remain at €160, and An Post remain responsible for its collection.
According to Department of Media figures published in January, the number of TV licence fees bought last year fell by 13%, and represented a revenue drop for RTÉ of more than €19m.
In order to improve collection of the TV licence fee, the new Government proposal will see An Post provided with €6m in Exchequer funding over a period of three years.
Ms Martin will also ask a technical working group to develop proposals within the next three months on how the collection of the licence can be further improved.
