New report against TV licences for phones and computers

New technologies that allow for television reception on computers, mobile phones and other devices should not be subject to a licence fee, an Oireachtas committee is set to suggest today.

Changing the current definition of a television set could have adverse effects on the perception of Ireland as a global leader in technology, according to a report to be published by the Joint Committee on Communications.

The introduction of additional forms of licence fee collection could have a negative impact on business, the report also warns. It calls for the Government's proposed Broadcasting Bill to be technologically "future-proofed" in this regard.

Committee chairman Noel O'Flynn TD told The Irish Times that while there had to be a definition of what a television set was, there couldn't be a licence fee for all forms of broadcasting, as this would damage the business community.

Television was now available through a variety of media and it would be foolish to impede the growth of these technologies by imposing a licence fee. In the past, he pointed out, the separate radio licence was abolished when radios became available in every car and the collection of a fee became invidious.

Mr O'Flynn said he was of the view that television licences should be allocated per household, rather than per set, as at present. This would mean that people with televisions in holiday homes would not have to purchase a second licence.

The committee report also calls for a reduction in the number of ministerial appointments on State boards in the sector, particularly the proposed new Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. Mr Flynn pointed out that whereas currently there were 20-25 State appointees on such boards, the new Bill proposed increasing these numbers to 75-80.

The report calls for the provision of adequate funding for TG4 under new legislation, in the form of a percentage of licence fee income. "It's vitally important that the station knows how much money it is to get and that this funding is ringfenced," Mr O'Flynn said.

Other proposals in the report include a proposal for greater flexibility in the requirement for 20 per cent of the content of commercial broadcasters to be news and current affairs, and a 10 per cent quota for independently-produced radio programmes.

The committee expressed support for a right to reply scheme to allow citizens redress where reputations have been damaged by a broadcast. However, the report says that fears this might lead to a "cranks' charter" are legitimate and a definition of what constitutes a frivolous complaint is needed.

Almost 500 observations were made to the committee by members of the public on the draft Bill since it was published last autumn, and an online discussion forum has been set up to allow the public to debate its proposals.

Earlier this year, the committee's hearings on the Bill were webcast, a first for a Dáil committee. The website hosting public observations on the Bill has recorded some 60,000 hits.

The Government would be foolish to ignore the results of this consultation process, he said.