The Chair of the Oireachtas Media Committee believes removing the TV license service from An Post would not solve compliance issues. Cavan-Monaghan TD and Chair of the Oireachtas Media Committee, Niamh Smyth, says she also expects Government to include independent media in their plans.
The new funding model for public service broadcasting is expected to be unveiled next week. It's understood the model would be constructed of three strands made up of TV license revenue, advertising, and exchequer funding.
Speaking on the Joe Finnegan show, the local TD also said removing the TV license service from An Post and moving it to Revenue would put post offices at risk of closing: "When banks were closing down and taking smaller branches out of smaller towns, we turned to An Post and they certainly provided and reimagined themselves so they could provide that service," Deputy Smyth told Northern Sound, "I wouldn't be of the view, I wouldn't like to see An Post lose another service, I think that's important. I know you're back to the question of compliance, of course Revenue would be the easy option to just take it at source, but I think a Government has a big responsibility and a very broad responsibility in that they can't just take it from the post office and move it into Revenue. I don't think there's going to be a solution that's entirely perfect"
