Figures indicate that people are withholding their TV licence fees as the RTÉ controversy continues to unfold.
RTÉ has reported a notable drop in the number of TV licences issued during the first week in July, compared to the same period last year. 11,241 licences were issued at the start of this July, compared to 15,432 in 2022.
While the majority of the 15,432 households would have been due to pay another €160 in the first week of this July, only 10,076 did.
The drop in payments has cost RTÉ close to €1m.
According to The
Independent, the TV licence evasion rate is already around 15pc and RTÉ estimates that this costs them about €60m a year in lost revenue.
The drop in TV licence payments comes in the wake of the RTÉ payments scandal, which has been ongoing since news emerged that former Late Late host Ryan Tubridy had received €345,000 in hidden payments.
Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin, who sits on the Oireachtas Committee on Media has said it's "obvious" that the two are connected.
“It’s obvious that a significant proportion of the population have lost confidence in the national broadcaster due to recent scandalous revelations...
“RTÉ and the minister will need to put in place a contingency plan now to mitigate against the possible effects of continued revenue loss".
Header image via Getty
READ NEXT:
- Ireland now 'warmer and wetter' than it was 30 years ago
- Social welfare payment dates to change for August due to bank holiday weekend
