TV licence inspectors' job 'impossible' after RTÉ scandal

Due to the level of hostility, An Post temporarily changed work practices for inspectors.

TV licence inspectors endured "intolerable abuse", could not sleep, and even had their cars damaged in the wake of the RTÉ’s payments scandal.

A letter addressed to Media Minister Catherine Martin detailed how one TV licence inspector in particular was losing sleep due to the abuse received while on the job.

The letter, which was sent in July and obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, details how the job of a TV licence inspector was “always difficult enough but lately, it has become impossible”. 

It was written just two weeks after it was revealed that RTÉ under-reported the salary paid to presenter Ryan Tubridy and failed to disclose €345,000 of additional payments to him between 2017 and 2022.

The letter goes on to say that the person — who is fair and genuine and does not knock on doors “unless really necessary” — was in court the week prior, and was shouted at.

It says what they were called by people outside of the courthouse “cannot be repeated” and that the licence inspector’s car was also damaged that day.

The letter also claims that senior executives within An Post were “very quiet” and not giving advice or direction at the time of increased hostility.

“The situation is horrific and Catherine Martin needs to know their position,” the letter pleads.

In response to the letter, Ms Martin’s office said the role of a TV licence inspector is “challenging in today’s society”.

“The difficult work which is undertaken can be overlooked at times, however it remains to be an integral role in providing the funding necessary for public service broadcasting,” it wrote.

An Post said there was a “marked increase” in the amount and level of hostility towards inspectors in the immediate aftermath of the RTÉ payments scandal.

It said abusive and threatening behaviour was perpetrated by a small cohort of people whose homes were called to due to not having a TV licence.

However, An Post added that this hostility has also been building for some time which is a concern.

“Some of it appears to be organised and similar to that experienced by licence inspectors and other representatives of state services in Ireland and Great Britain — similar abusive and threatening language, posting of material on social channels,” a spokesperson said.

Due to the level of hostility, An Post temporarily changed work practices shortly after the letter was sent to ensure minimal engagement with the public.

Inspectors received additional specialist training and “clear instruction” to remove themselves from any property where a householder was abusive or threatening.

An Post said there was a 'marked increase' in the amount and level of hostility towards inspectors in the immediate aftermath of the RTÉ payments scandal.

“An Post then instructed our team of inspectors to simply post a TV licence reminder note through the letterbox, and not call to the door,” they said.

The inspection team has now resumed normal working patterns, including calling to houses.

Some 8,612 cases came to court in 2023 for non-payment of the TV licence. 

For the first five months of 2023, this figure stood at 3,513, meaning over 5,000 have been brought to court in just six months, however some of these may be summonses from previous years.

Although there has been a decline of approximately 30% in licence sales and renewals since June compared to 2022, the department said there have been "signs of recovery" in recent weeks.

Some 32,246 TV licences were issued in the first two weeks of December, compared with 33,320 in the same period last year.