Taoiseach criticises recommendations of report into reforming TV licence fee

The Taoiseach has criticised the recommendations of a report into reforming the TV licence fee.

An Oireachtas Committee said that the Revenue Commissioners should be given the power to collect the fee to avoid high evasion rates.

It is estimated €40m is lost to public service broadcasting each year because of evasion.

But Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says people need to think about what they want to fund.

He said: "The report recommends a different way to collect the TV licence in such a way which would require people who don't have a television to pay the TV licence.

"We have to bear in mind here when we talk about public funding we are talking about taxpayers money, people's money.

"We have to consider whether people want to spend more money funding media organisations or whether they would prefer that money spent on other things, perhaps their kid's education, perhaps healthcare, perhaps disability."

- Digital Desk