Longford Senator says households 'cancelling' TV licence fee payments in wake of RTÉ controversy

Fine Gael Senator Micheal Carrigy told of how in his role as postmaster, a growing number of people have already cancelled direct debits as the fallout from the Ryan Tubridy controversy.

In a further damning critique of the beleaguered State broadcaster’s handling of the saga, Senator Carrigy, who sits on the Oireactas’ Media Committee, said he had been left more than unimpressed by the performance of senior bosses at a meeting on Wednesday.

“I think there is,” said Senator Carrigy, when asked if there was a concern at government level of a universal veto by households to pay the licence fee.

“In my position as a postmaster, I have heard stories of direct debits being cancelled. The reality is we need a public service broadcaster and we need it to be funded.”

Those concerns comes just days after Media Minister Catherine Martin paused any government decision on reform of the TV licence fee pending the outcome of an external independent review of RTÉ’s “culture and governance”.

Senator Carrigy, in referencing an Oireachtas led ‘Future of Media’ report published last year, said there was a pressing need for a broader ‘media charge’ that underpinned not just national, but regional and local news delivery across both broadcast and print sectors.

He said despite the “reputational damage” caused to RTÉ, the aforementioned report showed how around 70 per cent of respondents still trusted mainstream media as opposed to its social media equivalent.

The Ballinalee based politician also insisted “sweeping changes” were needed at the State broadcaster, saying incoming Director General Kevin Bakhurst had a “challenge on his hands” to restore public confidence within the corridors of Montrose.

Asked whether he felt any sympathy for the two main protagonists caught up in the RTÉ payments storm, former Director General Dee Forbes and Ryan Tubridy, Senator Carrigy stopped short by saying the public needed to hear from both publicly.

“They need to come before the (Media Committee) and put the facts on the table, it’s as simple as that,” he said.

“We need to get the facts and hear from everybody involved.

“She (Dee Forbes) was in the role of Director General and I think she needs to come in and he (Ryan Tubridy) is contracted to RTÉ and I do think he needs to come in and put the facts on the table.”