33 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the decision which she has made on her consideration of a possible further increase in the RTE licence fee from 1 April 2002; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31810/01]

When the Government approved the interim television licence fee increase of £14.50 last July it agreed that it would, subject to certain conditions first being met, consider a further increase in the licence fee from 1 April 2003, not 2002 as suggested in the Deputy's question. These conditions are designed to assist both the Government and RTE in providing assurances to licence fee payers that their money is being well spent. Notwithstanding RTE's recent indications of its deteriorating financial circumstances, these conditions must still be met before any further increase in the television licence fee could be considered.