The future of RTE after Tubsgate.

Speaking of "EU competition rules", It amazes me that the TV licence collection contract doesn't have to be put out to tender under EU competition rules, indeed An post getting a 6 millon euro government handout to "update the database" stinks to high heaven but it's not like any mainstream journalist is going to challenge this, they'll all be hoping to get a government advisor or quango job after the next general election.

They tendered out the drivers licence stuff to NDLS, arguably that went quite badly and they learnt from their mistake

Are they planning to abandon the Radio centre and move all radio into the TV buildings ?

No because RTE is on Sky.

Sky Stream TV and Digital Boxes come with a Digital turner build in, meaning that you have to have a licence, for both of these products, meaning that NOW (a sky product) is providing a streaming only service. (Perhaps you don't need a Sky Stream TV or Box for Sky Stream??).

How many large screen monitors are sold for this purpose in any case? I'd say almost 96% people have some type "apparatus capable of receiving and exhibiting television broadcasting".

Also the funding of RTÉ is a complete distraction from the issue of mismanagement of the service over the last decade or more.

They should have just taken the fee by adding it to electricity bills. No avoidance that way, guaranteed income, hotels and bars pay more. Clean. Collecting the licence fee via the current method means leeches are still able to avoid paying it. Every home in this country should have to pay the fee. It’s not a discretionary thing.

Sky Stream is a box for streaming it does not have a TV tuner in it. So Sky Stream and a Monitor would exempt you from needing a TV License according to the statute in its current form.

To be honest RTE have dropped the ball, because aftre getting their 750M deal with the government, they havn't looked ahead. All the providers are moving to streaming services, so a couple years and I do mean just a couple, a lot of people in Ireland will have their streaming box and monitor and not legally need a TV license.

The statute that is quoted earlier in the thread refers to equipment capable of receiving the signal broadcast.

I made the exact same point a few weeks ago.

By the way, want to know how the pay the TV License the Czechia? You guessed it! It goes on your lecky bill.

My electricity is about 120 a month. Would I feel or notice the extra 10 euro that covers the TV license? Grudgingly for the first couple of months but I'd get over it.

Do it that way and it eliminates avoidance. As you said, no more need for inspectors, or people taking up court time.

And, if they play the 30 second "You must have a TV License, its the law" clip on the radio and TV, 4 times a day, 365 days a year, they could eanr an additional 10 hours worth of advertising revenue ayear. No small sum I would imagine.

I'd argue it is more a political opinion, the ESB Network could not add another fee to an ever increasing essential services bill. The government would be in a situation were there would be 2 public service fees added to your Electricity bill on top of a standing charge (introduced when people started to try to save money on their bill). This is on top of the government trying to figure out a plan for the future of An Post. Many forget that An Post and the Post Offices are important to communities/politically, according to the government and politicians.

You don't need insurance. If I didn't have a car I would not be required to get any insurance. I don't have house insurance (though I should), I have health insurance with the company I work for and I regret getting it, I don't have life assurance and so on. So those fee only relate to 2 insurances that I have, and if I stopped driving and if I stopped my health insurance I would not be paying those fees.

If people don't want to have streaming services, broadband and mobile that is up to them but it is highly unlikely in the modern age that they will do without any. But if you do see a drop off in the use of, lets say, broadband as consumers move to 5G then the regulators ComReg and CnaM review how the fee is collected on those bills. (And would review that €270m figure, something that shouldn't be at the hands of government).

The problem saying it is only €10 a month (€120) is that it will just start to grow. As you point out most people are paying more for broadband etc than they pay for the licence so why not tax them on these non-essential service rather than on an essential one?

And unfortunately regardless of which bill you attach the "Telecommunications Culture Charge" to you still have the problem of RTÉ who seem to think, outside of governance and other issues, they've done a pretty good job. The mismanagement of RTÉ will not be rectified under RTÉ's management.

There is no sign of RTE Slashing and Burning to cut costs. They gave out hundreds of tin whistles this week! To says nothing of the 130 quid boxed of macaroons. All the staff in Paris, even if just to 'play records'. This is just the very tip of the iceberg. The real cost is the number of staff. Did the government economists advise it was cheaper to bail them out from the Social Welfare budget, keeping everyone employed vs pay the extra dole money?

MOD You were explicitly warned not to go there and you did so anyway.