Sinn Féin spokesperson for Public Expenditure, Rose Conway-Walsh has called on the government to stop the delay and make a decision on the future funding and oversight of RTÉ.

She called on the government to commit to scrapping the outdated and regressive TV licence, and to fund RTÉ and other broadcast services directly through the exchequer.

Teachta Conway-Walsh said:

“It is decision time on RTÉ.

“No more reports, no more delays, the public want to see a plan in place.

“The government promised a plan before the summer recess. That is now less than two weeks away.

“The announcement should happen this week to give the Dáil and media committee a chance to debate the proposal.

“Sinn Féin have called for the government to scrap the TV licence and fund RTÉ and other public broadcast services directly.

“The TV licence is outdated and regressive.

“It is wrong that people are dragged through the courts for not paying a TV licence when no one was held accountable for the misuse of public money inside RTÉ.

“There is no excuse for the government continuing to take no action.

“As soon as the RTÉ scandal broke Sinn Féin called on the government to bring the broadcaster under the remit of the C&AG – the state auditor.

“There is no better form of financial oversight. And would immediately increase transparency and accountability.

“Sinn Féin produced the necessary legislation in the weeks following the scandal. It is a simple and direct measure.

“The fact that the government has still not even taken this action makes people concerned.

“There is a growing perception that the government is waiting for the scandal to blow over so they can go back to business as usual.

“Sinn Féin have been clear on how and why we would reform funding and oversight of RTÉ.”