Myth of the RTÉ licence fee

RTÉ Director General Noel Curran claims the current annual €160 licence fee is ‘too low’ and below the European average.

He claims it is ‘much higher’ in most other European countries — the grown-up equivalent of ‘all the other kids have them, so why can’t I?’

So the time has come to put this particular myth to bed once and for all.

Out of 38 countries in continental Europe (including Russia) 14 have no TV licence at all.

Data is not available for some countries.

Of the remaining 22 countries some have much higher licence fees, such as Germany at €215 annually, Switzerland at €385 and Denmark at €303.

But at the other extreme, many countries have much lower fees: the Czech Republic at €65 annually, Italy at €113, Poland at €52, all the way down to Albania at just €5 per annum.

Averaging out all the licence fee-paying countries, we see that fee comes out at €145 annually, lower than Ireland’s current rate.

If we include the countries where no licence fee is paid, we see the European average is just €89 per annum. So, no, the Irish licence fee is not ‘quite low’ compared to the European average, no matter what way you calculate it. If RTÉ want more money to produce more endless boring talk shows and reality cookery programmes, no doubt they will get it.

If the minister decides to introduce a universal broadcasting charge to make up the shortfall in those who evade the licence, no doubt the final result will defy logic and not be cheaper than at present.

Fine, just shake us little leprechauns hard until we reveal the whereabouts of our crocks of gold, and have done with it. But please stop insulting our intelligence by thinking we don’t know what happens beyond our borders and cannot see the falsity of the excuses given.

Nick Folley

Carrigaline

Co Cork