RTÉ looks set to have a new blended funding model put forward by Government, which will rely on a mixture of the current TV Licence and a “multi-annual” payment provided by the exchequer, as the proposal prepares to go to Cabinet next Wednesday.
According to RTE News, Government sources have confirmed that the existing TV licence fee of €160 will be retained as part of the plan, “although they would not clarify if it will continue to be collected in the same way”. Alongside this, a "multi-annual" stream of funding from the exchequer will also be provided to RTÉ.
It is understood that Minister Catherine Martin, whose party were in favour of a fully state funded model that was not supported by Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil, pushed for a multi-annual deal in relation to any exchequer funding to make sure RTÉ is financially secure into the future.
Speaking at the European Political Community summit in Oxfordshire, where he was asked about RTÉ's future finances, Taoiseach Simon Harris intimated towards a mixed funding model of exchequer funding, while retaining the TV licence.
"I've said there's two ways of funding public service broadcasting in my view, there's that you go with some form of reformed licence fee model, or you go with direct exchequer fee funding,” said Harris. "But that's kind of a straw man way of looking at it. Perhaps there's a way in the middle."
"I've lain down some principles that are very important to me, I don't want to see any taxpayer having to pay more in terms of a licence fee that they are today, I want to have an understanding as to what we're funding in terms of public service broadcasting.”
"I want to see how the excellent public service broadcasting done by RTÉ can be supported but also a recognition public service broadcasting also happens by other outlets, be they independent television outlets, be they local radio or local media, they're some of the key things.”
"And then the fourth and it's really important to me this one, I want to see the model being sustainable, I don't want to see a Government do something that just kind of looks like grand we've sorted public service broadcasting for a few months.
"I want to know that whatever funding model is in place is durable and can be long-lasting and I think all of those principles can be met," the Taoiseach added.
Ahead of the final Cabinet meeting, where the RTÉ plan is anticipated to be presented before the summer recess on Wednesday, the Taoiseach added that he hopes "we can bring a finality to this next week, I'd like to see that happen, it's been this saga has gone on for far too long."
