Should the Government impose a small ‘Netflix levy’ on streaming platforms to help fund Irish content? 

Once the licence fee paid for Irish drama and documentaries; however, with fewer and fewer people watching TV, the industry is calling for an alternative way to finance its work. 

Reporter Henry McKean hit the streets of Dublin for The Hard Shoulder to find out if locals would be prepared to pay extra for Irish content. 

“Maybe a little bit but I wouldn’t be paying loads more,” one woman told him. 

Her friend questioned what the point would be. 

“We already get Irish TV just on the regular TV without Netflix,” she said. 

“Maybe a euro or two euro max but not more than that.” 

A boy watching Netflix on an iPad. Picture by: Marcel de Grijs / Alamy Stock Photo

While another woman said she would pay but would also feel annoyed. 

“Definitely, 100%,” she said. 

“Because that’s what I use mostly.” 

Another woman was far more open to the proposal. 

“I probably would pay more for Irish shows to be on Netflix,” she said. 

While one woman said it depended on what they created. 

“I don’t think I’d mind paying more if I got to know where it’s going, what’s coming out,” she said. 

“But if I don’t know anything like that, I wouldn’t necessarily want to pay a bit more for what I already have.”

Main image: A still from Normal People. Picture by: Alamy.com