RTÉ awaits review results before go-ahead on licence fees

RTÉ is waiting to see if it has proved it has met commitments on programming and structure changes before getting the go-ahead to increase licence fees.

Consultants brought in to carry out the annual review of the RTÉ's licence fee will report their findings to the Minister of Communications next week. When Minister Dermot Ahern granted the national broadcaster a 43 increase in the licence fee last year, he agreed the annual increase would be allowed to be linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

However, the increase would be reduced if RTÉ did not succeed in reaching its targets in financial performance, increased programming outputs and changed management structures.