asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the reasons for the increase for the television licence fee.

80.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the reason for the twenty-five per cent increase in the TV licence fee.

81.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state fully the reasons for the proposed increase in radio and television receiving licence fees.

With your permission, A Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions No. 79, 80 and 81 together.

The increases in the radio and television licence fees were authorised following representations from Radio Éireann regarding the inadequacy of its licence revenue. I intend to go into details when introducing the Supplementary Estimate that will enable the payment of an increased grant to the Authority in respect of higher fees. In the meantime I would simply point out that the subsidy of £500,000 permissible under Section 22 (2) of the Broadcasting Authority Act, 1960, has been exhausted and that, in addition to a general rise in costs, the Authority has to met extra operating expenditure as a result of extending the television service to the provinces and of its efforts to provide more and better home-produced programmes.

When did the Minister say he would give the detailed reasons for the increase?

When introducing the Supplementary Estimate to enable the increased amount to be paid to the Authority.

We still have not got a reason for the increase. There were references to increased costs.

The Authority have been criticised for depending on canned programmes. Home-produced programmes are much more expensive and the Authority cannot be expected to improve the present level of programmes unless we give them additional funds.

82.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the total annual revenue from TV licences, and the extra revenue which is anticipated from the increase in the TV licence fee.

The estimated net television revenue from combined licences for the current financial year is £572,000. The increase in the licence fee will augment that sum by about £157,000 in a full year.