Licence fee payments down 15pc as slump continues after RTÉ payments scandal

Payments of TV licences in the first five months of this year are down by approximately 15pc on the same period last year.

Figures supplied by An Post, which collects licence fees, show that approximately 324,176 households paid the fee between January and May of this year, compared to 371,883 in the first five months of last year. That amounts to a shortfall of €7.6m.

Figures for May show that 63,631 households paid the €160 licence fee last month, compared to 73,598 in May last year.

A series of secret payments to former RTÉ broadcaster Ryan Tubridy, some of which were channelled through a barter account, were first disclosed in June of last year.

The controversy resulted in the resignations of high-profile figures at RTÉ, including former director general Dee Forbes.

Tubridy left the station following the breakdown of contract talks, while there have also been a wave of cost-cutting measures at the broadcaster.

The 2023 figures reflect the period before the controversy came to light. In the wake of the disclosures, the number of licence fees paid fell.

Last month, three independent reports into corporate governance and human resources at RTÉ were published.

The reports were critical of weaknesses in risk management and internal controls at the broadcaster, which led to the crisis.

One of the reports, delivered by ­Professor Niamh Brennan, found multiple “compliance failings” at the national broadcaster and set out numerous governance and cultural issues that need to be addressed.

A second report, carried out by a small group headed up by consultant Brendan McGinty, examined how RTÉ engages presenters and contractors.

The third report, carried out by accountancy firm Mazars, examined RTÉ’s barter account.

RTÉ has accepted the report recommendations and pledged to show the Government its implementation plan in the coming weeks.

The Coalition has committed to a €40m bailout for the broadcaster, with the proviso that it sets out how it will implement change before the money is handed over.

It recently emerged that An Post had asked the Government for more than €500,000 to cover its losses from collecting TV licences last year, after a sharp decline in payments.

The Government has said it will decide on a new funding model before the Dáil’s summer recess.