Vote on privatising TV licence enforcement

The Government is set to agree plans to privatise the collection of TV licence fees in a bid to clamp down on people refusing to pay the annual charge.

Communications Minister Denis Naughten will seek approval for the plan, which is also designed to help address RTÉ’s growing financial problems, as part of a bill due to go before cabinet today.

Under the existing system, Ireland has just 40 inspectors to oversee random checks across the country every year designed to catch out people who are avoiding the €160 licence fee.

The department claims the exchequer is losing up to €40m every year as a result of evaders.

Under plans outlined in the Broadcasting Amendment Bill 2017 , Mr Naughten will today urge Government colleagues to back plans to tackle the inspector shortfall by allowing the checks to be handed over to private firms.

And while the move — which if passed by the Cabinet and the Dáil could be introduced within weeks — is controversial, if successful it will lead to a significant increase in the number of inspectors overseeing random checks.

A Department of Communications source last night confirmed that Mr Naughten believes the privatisation plan will be of similar success to that of Britain, which had a 13% evasion rate in 1991 before the percentage dropped to 7% after private firms became involved.

However, the move is likely to be heavily criticised by members of the public, many of whom are already opposed to the TV licence fee and ongoing formal discussions on whether its scope should be widened to people who watch television programmes on laptops or other devices.

Should the TV licence privatisation plan be implemented, it will benefit RTÉ, which is continuing to struggle with mounting debt.