RTÉ tunes into surplus with €165m of licence fees

RTÉ pulled in more than €165 million from licence fees last year, it emerged yesterday as the Government prepares a response to European Union charges of a lack of financial transparency surrounding the public service broadcaster.

The amount of money generated from the licence fee has increased by more than €50m since 2002, a time of crisis when the organisation posted a deficit of more than €55m. RTÉ’s 2004 figures reveal the broadcaster now has a surplus of nearly €7m.

The organisation has rejected criticism that its finances are not transparent.