Income from the TV licence is down €14.2 million to date this year arising from the RTÉ payments scandal as growing numbers of people are opting not to renew their licence, new figures show.
According to figures provided by the Minister for Media, Catherine Martin TD, revenues from the €160 TV licence are down 31 per cent from July 1st to October 16th compared to the corresponding period for last year.
The 31 per cent drop follows the RTÉ payment scandal which erupted in late June after the disclosure of €225,000 in payments to Ryan Tubridy leading to the financial crisis at RTÉ.
The crisis has triggered the departure of several key executives from the national broadcaster and a severing of ties between the broadcaster and Tubridy.
Now, in new figures provided by Minister Martin in a written Dáil reply to James O’Connor TD (Fianna Fáil) the Minister reveals to the end of October 16th last year, RTE had obtained €101.098 million in TV licence revenues.
However, this compares to €89.48 million for the same period this year – a drop of €12.6 million for RTÉ.
Ms Martin states that RTÉ receives 93 per cent of net TV revenue sales and the Minister told Deputy O’Connor “it is further estimated that the loss of income to RTÉ to year end will be up to €21 million".
Earlier this month, RTÉ Director General, Kevin Bakhurst admitted at the Public Accounts Committee PAC that RTÉ will run out of cash without a bail-out from Government.
In her reply, Ms Martin stated that TV licence sales from January 1st to October 16th this year is €642,860 - compared to €731,772 for the corresponding period last year.
Ms Martin said that this is a reduction of €88,912 or 12 per cent on the same period last year.
She said: “This represents an estimated decline of €14.2 million in revenues which support not only RTÉ but also the Broadcasting Fund which in turn supports the Sound and Vision Scheme, and is very important to the independent production sector.”
She added: “The restoration of sustainable and secure funding for public service broadcasting is a priority for Government."
However, the month by month figures show that people opting not to renew their TV licence is having a contagion effect with the number renewing from October 1st to October 16th 40 per cent down on the same period last year.
The figures show that only 23,010 purchased a licence from October 1st to October 16th compared to 38,473 for the same period last year.
The percentage drop is far greater than the percentage not renewing in September which 29 per cent down on September 2022 while August and July were also 29.6 per cent and 29.8 per cent down respectively.
The gross revenue from the TV licence is down €14.2 million while An Post’s commission is down €664,459 from €7.3 million to €6.63m. The net revenue from the TV licence is down €13.56 million from €109.78 million to €96.2 million.
Along with RTÉ taking a €12.6 million hit in the year to date, the broadcasting fund has reduced by €949,302 from €7.68 milion to €6.7 million.
At a sitting of Ennis District Court earlier this month, 14 people before the court for non-payment of their TV licence escaped any court sanction after their cases were struck out on application from the State.
This followed the retirement of an An Post employee who was no longer in a position to provide evidence in court on the non-payment of the TV licences.
