An Post has issued a reminder to holiday home owners who bring their television sets from their normal residence for the summer break, that they can be fined more than € 600 if they do not hold two TV licences.
An Post TV licence inspectors are targeting holiday homes and the owners of holiday villages and short-let accommodation in a summer campaign to clamp down on the estimated 11 per cent of unlicensed TV sets in the country.
The public information campaign will feature television, radio and outdoor advertising.
Legislation introduced in 2002 removed the ability to temporarily transfer a licence from a person's permanent address to their holiday home.
Owners of holiday homes and those with second homes must have a licence if there is a TV set in their property, even if the set has been moved from a permanent address for the summer holidays.
More than 80 staff are employed in the areas of TV licence inspection, administration and database management and almost 10,000 prosecutions were brought against evaders in 2005.
A TV licence costs €155 a year. Evaders can be fined up to €635 for a first offence and up to €1,270 for second and subsequent offences.
Mary Harrahill, An Post TV licence manager, said the company was contractually obliged to ensure that everyone paid their fair share. The detection team followed up with all addressees who failed to buy a licence for their private or business premises.
An Post collects the fee on behalf of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.
