Written answer
Television Licence Fee
The Minister outlined inspectors’ authority to enter premises at reasonable times, show appointment certificates on request, issue notices, and said licence-reform proposals would go to Government.
548. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the statutory powers of TV licence inspectors under the Broadcasting Act 2009; the circumstances in which they may enter residential premises; the requirements regarding identification and production of appointment certificates; whether householders may refuse entry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74196/26]
Comment on this
The legislative basis for the television licence is set out in Part 9 of the Broadcasting Act 2009.
Section 145 of the Act assigns An Post as the issuing agent for the television licence. Under this section, An Post is empowered to, on behalf of the Minister, issue licences, collect fees, identify persons with television sets who have not paid their television licence, and to bring summary proceedings and prosecute persons for the offence of keeping a television set without a television licence.
Section 146(1) of the Broadcasting Act 2009 provides that An Post as the issuing agent may appoint authorised officers ('TV licence inspectors'). In accordance with section 146(2) of the Act, TV licence inspectors must be issued with certification of their appointment and, when undertaking an inspection, must produce this certification if requested by any person affected by the inspection.
Section 146(3) of the Act provides that a TV licence inspector may enter at any reasonable time any premises for the purposes of ascertaining whether there is a television set there and a television licence is for the time being in force in respect of the premises.
In terms of the other statutory powers of a TV licence inspector:
• section 147 of the Act provides that a TV licence inspector may serve a special notice in writing to a person requiring that person to declare, inter alia, whether or not the person keeps a television set at a premises; and
• section 149 of the Act provides that a TV licence inspector may issue a reminder notification to a person they believe to be in possession of a television set without a television licence and may, subject to issuance of two reminder notifications, issue a fixed payment notice to that person.
The Technical Working Group on the Reform and Enhancement of the Television Licence was reconvened to examine measures to improve collection and compliance in order to maximise revenue generation. The report was finalised of the Group before the Summer Recess and will be brought to Government shortly.