35,000 fewer licences sold as punters ditch TVs

Tens of thousands of more people are choosing not to or are simply unable to pay the television licence, it has emerged.

The number of people buying a television licence has fallen by 35,000 since 2010, while the number getting free licences from the Government has risen by at least 17,000.

There were 1,431,716 licences issued in 2010, 1,038,665 sold by An Post, and 393,051 issued by the Department of Social Protection.