I must now deal with the deferred division on the People Before Profit-Solidarity amendment to the Government amendment to the motion regarding reform of the television licence fee model. Yesterday, on the question "That the amendment to the amendment be made", a division was claimed and that division must be taken now. Will the Deputies who are claiming a division please rise in their places?
Reform of the Television Licence Fee Model: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members]
The following motion was moved by Deputy Thomas Gould on Tuesday, 13 February 2024:
That Dáil Éireann:
recognises that:
— a vibrant, diverse, financially sustainable and independent media sector is critical to any well-functioning democracy;
— the Future of Media Commission Report published in 2022 recommended that the funding model for public service media change from the current system of funding by the television licence fee combined with general Exchequer funds to a funding model based entirely on general Exchequer funds; and
— financial scandals at Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ) have rocked people's trust and confidence in the national broadcaster and the television licence;
notes with concern that approximately 13,000 people were summoned before the courts last year for not purchasing a television licence, while no one has been held to account for the incredible waste of public money at RTÉ; and
mandates the Government to:
— scrap the unfair television licence fee with immediate effect;
— invest Exchequer funding in a platform-neutral Media Fund which would support public service media content production and the activities of commercial, local and community providers along with RTÉ and TG4; and
— introduce a legal amnesty from prosecution for those who have not paid their licence fee.
The following amendment No. 2 was moved by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media:
To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:
"recognises:
— the vital role which the media sector, and in particular, our public service broadcasters, Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ) and TG4, play in supporting our cultural development, societal wellbeing, and the functioning of our democracy;
— the importance of ensuring sustainable funding to support our public service broadcasters (RTÉ and TG4), as well as public service content provided by community, commercial and local broadcasters, newspapers and online media platforms;
— the significant contribution which the Exchequer already makes to funding public service media content;
acknowledges:
— that the Government is committed to the introduction of a new sustainable and fair funding model during its term of office, and to giving due consideration to all funding options, including direct Exchequer funding;
— that whatever model is agreed upon and implemented will be designed to safeguard the vital independence of public service media as currently provided for in the Broadcasting Act;
— that there is a legal obligation on those who own a television set to have a television licence, and that any amnesty would be inherently unfair on those who are compliant with this obligation;
— that the licence fee currently brings significant benefits to Irish society, not only through the funding of RTÉ, but through its funding of the Sound and Vision Scheme which is available to all broadcasters and is a significant support for the independent production sector;
— that in response to the controversies which have arisen at RTÉ since June 2023, the Government has established two Expert Advisory Committees to lead independent reviews of Governance and Culture at RTÉ, and into Contractor Fees, Human Resources and other matters in RTÉ; and
— that it would be inappropriate and premature to introduce any new funding model prior to the completion of the independent reviews into RTÉ, and in the absence of recommendations which will inform the continued reform of corporate governance, internal control and organisational culture at RTÉ, and which will contribute to the necessary restoration of trust in RTÉ.".
Debate resumed on amendment No. 2 to amendment No. 2:
A.
To delete the following:
"— that there is a legal obligation on those who own a television set to have a television licence, and that any amnesty would be inherently unfair on those who are compliant with this obligation;
— that the licence fee currently brings significant benefits to Irish society, not only through the funding of RTÉ, but through its funding of the Sound and Vision Scheme which is available to all broadcasters and is a significant support for the independent production sector;";
B.
to delete the following:
"— that it would be inappropriate and premature to introduce any new funding model prior to the completion of the independent reviews into RTÉ, and in the absence of recommendations which will inform the continued reform of corporate governance, internal control and organisational culture at RTÉ, and which will contribute to the necessary restoration of trust in RTÉ."; and
C.
to insert the following after "Contractor Fees, Human Resources and other matters in RTÉ; and":
"calls on the Government to:
— ensure that workers and jobs in RTÉ are protected;
— ensure that the range and quality of services provided by RTÉ are protected, and ensure there is an expansion of cultural, arts and entertainment services and content;
— ensure that there is no further privatisation and/or outsourcing of services and production for RTÉ;
— end advertising and sponsorships by RTÉ;
— increase public funding for RTÉ by raising €500 million through a big tech tax on large technology, communications and information corporations;
— cap pay to end big six figure salaries for the few;
— democratise RTÉ by replacing the current Board to make it representative of RTÉ workers and civil society, with Board members subject to recall;
— scrap the unfair television licence fee with immediate effect; and
— introduce a legal amnesty from prosecution for those who have not paid their licence fee".
- (Deputy Paul Murphy)
Deputies Mick Barry, Richard Boyd Barrett, Michael Collins, Gino Kenny, Paul Murphy, Carol Nolan and Peadar Tóibín rose.
As fewer than ten Members have risen in their places, I declare the question defeated.
Amendment No. 2 to amendment No. 2 declared lost.
Amendment put:
The Dáil divided: Tá, 79; Níl, 57; Staon, 0.
Tá
- Berry, Cathal.
- Brophy, Colm.
- Bruton, Richard.
- Burke, Colm.
- Burke, Peter.
- Butler, Mary.
- Byrne, Thomas.
- Cahill, Jackie.
- Calleary, Dara.
- Canney, Seán.
- Cannon, Ciarán.
- Carroll MacNeill, Jennifer.
- Chambers, Jack.
- Collins, Niall.
- Costello, Patrick.
- Cowen, Barry.
- Creed, Michael.
- Crowe, Cathal.
- Devlin, Cormac.
- Dillon, Alan.
- Donnelly, Stephen.
- Donohoe, Paschal.
- Duffy, Francis Noel.
- Durkan, Bernard J.
- English, Damien.
- Farrell, Alan.
- Feighan, Frankie.
- Fitzpatrick, Peter.
- Flaherty, Joe.
- Fleming, Sean.
- Foley, Norma.
- Grealish, Noel.
- Griffin, Brendan.
- Haughey, Seán.
- Heydon, Martin.
- Higgins, Emer.
- Humphreys, Heather.
- Kehoe, Paul.
- Lahart, John.
- Lawless, James.
- Leddin, Brian.
- Lowry, Michael.
- Madigan, Josepha.
- Martin, Catherine.
- Martin, Micheál.
- Matthews, Steven.
- McAuliffe, Paul.
- McConalogue, Charlie.
- McGrath, Michael.
- McGuinness, John.
- McHugh, Joe.
- Moynihan, Aindrias.
- Moynihan, Michael.
- Murnane O'Connor, Jennifer.
- Murphy, Verona.
- Naughton, Hildegarde.
- Noonan, Malcolm.
- O'Brien, Darragh.
- O'Callaghan, Jim.
- O'Connor, James.
- O'Dea, Willie.
- O'Donnell, Kieran.
- O'Dowd, Fergus.
- O'Gorman, Roderic.
- O'Sullivan, Christopher.
- O'Sullivan, Pádraig.
- Ó Cathasaigh, Marc.
- Ó Cuív, Éamon.
- Phelan, John Paul.
- Rabbitte, Anne.
- Richmond, Neale.
- Ring, Michael.
- Shanahan, Matt.
- Smith, Brendan.
- Smyth, Niamh.
- Smyth, Ossian.
- Stanton, David.
- Troy, Robert.
- Varadkar, Leo.
Níl
- Andrews, Chris.
- Bacik, Ivana.
- Barry, Mick.
- Boyd Barrett, Richard.
- Brady, John.
- Browne, Martin.
- Buckley, Pat.
- Cairns, Holly.
- Carthy, Matt.
- Clarke, Sorca.
- Collins, Joan.
- Collins, Michael.
- Connolly, Catherine.
- Conway-Walsh, Rose.
- Cronin, Réada.
- Crowe, Seán.
- Cullinane, David.
- Daly, Pa.
- Doherty, Pearse.
- Donnelly, Paul.
- Ellis, Dessie.
- Farrell, Mairéad.
- Funchion, Kathleen.
- Gannon, Gary.
- Gould, Thomas.
- Guirke, Johnny.
- Healy-Rae, Michael.
- Howlin, Brendan.
- Kenny, Gino.
- Kenny, Martin.
- Kerrane, Claire.
- Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
- McNamara, Michael.
- Mitchell, Denise.
- Munster, Imelda.
- Murphy, Catherine.
- Murphy, Paul.
- Mythen, Johnny.
- Nash, Ged.
- Nolan, Carol.
- O'Callaghan, Cian.
- O'Donoghue, Richard.
- O'Reilly, Louise.
- O'Rourke, Darren.
- Ó Broin, Eoin.
- Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
- Ó Murchú, Ruairí.
- Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
- Quinlivan, Maurice.
- Ryan, Patricia.
- Sherlock, Sean.
- Shortall, Róisín.
- Smith, Duncan.
- Stanley, Brian.
- Tóibín, Peadar.
- Tully, Pauline.
- Ward, Mark.
Staon
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Hildegarde Naughton and Cormac Devlin; Níl, Deputies Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Denise Mitchell.
Amendment declared carried.
Amendment No. 1 not moved.
Question put: "That the motion, as amemded, be agreed to."
The Dáil divided: Tá, 78; Níl, 56; Staon, 0.
Tá
- Berry, Cathal.
- Brophy, Colm.
- Bruton, Richard.
- Burke, Colm.
- Burke, Peter.
- Butler, Mary.
- Byrne, Thomas.
- Cahill, Jackie.
- Calleary, Dara.
- Canney, Seán.
- Cannon, Ciarán.
- Carroll MacNeill, Jennifer.
- Chambers, Jack.
- Collins, Niall.
- Costello, Patrick.
- Cowen, Barry.
- Creed, Michael.
- Crowe, Cathal.
- Devlin, Cormac.
- Dillon, Alan.
- Donnelly, Stephen.
- Donohoe, Paschal.
- Duffy, Francis Noel.
- Durkan, Bernard J.
- English, Damien.
- Farrell, Alan.
- Feighan, Frankie.
- Fitzpatrick, Peter.
- Flaherty, Joe.
- Fleming, Sean.
- Foley, Norma.
- Grealish, Noel.
- Griffin, Brendan.
- Haughey, Seán.
- Heydon, Martin.
- Higgins, Emer.
- Humphreys, Heather.
- Kehoe, Paul.
- Lahart, John.
- Lawless, James.
- Leddin, Brian.
- Lowry, Michael.
- Madigan, Josepha.
- Martin, Catherine.
- Martin, Micheál.
- Matthews, Steven.
- McAuliffe, Paul.
- McGrath, Michael.
- McGuinness, John.
- McHugh, Joe.
- Moynihan, Aindrias.
- Moynihan, Michael.
- Murnane O'Connor, Jennifer.
- Murphy, Verona.
- Naughton, Hildegarde.
- Noonan, Malcolm.
- O'Brien, Darragh.
- O'Callaghan, Jim.
- O'Connor, James.
- O'Dea, Willie.
- O'Donnell, Kieran.
- O'Dowd, Fergus.
- O'Gorman, Roderic.
- O'Sullivan, Christopher.
- O'Sullivan, Pádraig.
- Ó Cathasaigh, Marc.
- Ó Cuív, Éamon.
- Phelan, John Paul.
- Rabbitte, Anne.
- Richmond, Neale.
- Ring, Michael.
- Shanahan, Matt.
- Smith, Brendan.
- Smyth, Niamh.
- Smyth, Ossian.
- Stanton, David.
- Troy, Robert.
- Varadkar, Leo.
Níl
- Andrews, Chris.
- Bacik, Ivana.
- Barry, Mick.
- Boyd Barrett, Richard.
- Brady, John.
- Browne, Martin.
- Buckley, Pat.
- Cairns, Holly.
- Carthy, Matt.
- Clarke, Sorca.
- Collins, Joan.
- Collins, Michael.
- Conway-Walsh, Rose.
- Cronin, Réada.
- Crowe, Seán.
- Cullinane, David.
- Daly, Pa.
- Doherty, Pearse.
- Donnelly, Paul.
- Ellis, Dessie.
- Farrell, Mairéad.
- Funchion, Kathleen.
- Gannon, Gary.
- Gould, Thomas.
- Guirke, Johnny.
- Healy-Rae, Michael.
- Howlin, Brendan.
- Kenny, Gino.
- Kenny, Martin.
- Kerrane, Claire.
- Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
- McNamara, Michael.
- Mitchell, Denise.
- Munster, Imelda.
- Murphy, Catherine.
- Murphy, Paul.
- Mythen, Johnny.
- Nash, Ged.
- Nolan, Carol.
- O'Callaghan, Cian.
- O'Donoghue, Richard.
- O'Reilly, Louise.
- O'Rourke, Darren.
- Ó Broin, Eoin.
- Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
- Ó Murchú, Ruairí.
- Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
- Quinlivan, Maurice.
- Ryan, Patricia.
- Sherlock, Sean.
- Shortall, Róisín.
- Smith, Duncan.
- Stanley, Brian.
- Tóibín, Peadar.
- Tully, Pauline.
- Ward, Mark.
Staon
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Hildegarde Naughton and Cormac Devlin; Níl, Deputies Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Denise Mitchell.
Question declared carried.