Sir, – Some months ago the RTÉ director general Dee Forbes suggested doubling the licence fee, but now she wants just a 7 per cent increase. Presumably, we are all supposed to feel relieved, like the annual debacle of budget scares through Government “leaks”.
Ms Forbes says the increase would generate an extra €15 million. We are also told that there is a 15 per cent non-payment on the current fee, a shortfall of €40 million.
This is a very high rate of payment default, despite RTÉ’s constant TV and radio ads threatening doom for non-payers.
Ms Forbes herself said that failure to reform the system means those who pay the licence fee are now subsidising those who don’t.
She said the TV licence fee system is “fundamentally broken”, yet RTÉ’s suggested solution is to further penalise those who pay, to make up for those who don’t.
Here’s another solution that could work: if it’s broke, fix it! – Yours, etc,
RONAN QUINLAN,
Dublin 15.